SURGEON GENERAL
Blood Shortage
Jan. 11, 2000 > Reuters Health information NEW YORK -- The U.S. Red Cross is urging the public to donate blood as the nation's flu epidemic reduces donor numbers across the country. The impact of the flu outbreak on the blood supply is compounded by the usual drop in donations during the holiday season. Because type 0 blood can be safely transfused to most patients in an emergency, type 0 donors are especially needed. "We've got a problem," said Red Cross Chief Medical Officer Dr. Richard J. Davey. "We had to actually cancel a blood donation drive altogether in Ohio because of the high flu rate," he explained, while "in Illinois, of 38 people who signed up for a donation, 26 people cancelled" after they came down with the flu. Speaking with Reuters Health, Davey said blood donations typically decline over the holiday period. However, "the severity this year is more than we expected," he said, "and we attribute this ... to the flu epidemic that's sweeping the country. " Not only is illness causing droves of would-be donors to cancel their appointments, but many recent donors are also phoning the Red Cross to report that they have come down with the flu. In those cases, "we have to find that unit of blood and take it out of circulation," Davey explained. The Red Cross currently has less than one day's supply of type 0 blood -- the 'universal' blood type usable in most patients -- in 27 of its 37 blood service regions. "All blood types are needed, of course," Davey said, "but blood type 0 is especially short right now." The Red Cross is urging all healthy adults over 17 years of age and I IO pounds in weight to contact them at 1-800-GIVE-LIFE to set up a blood donation appointment. Blood donation is safe and relatively painless and takes less than an hour. "We need blood donors," Davey said. "We're in very short supply, and we want to get over this shortage in such a manner that no patient is jeopardized because of a lack of blood."