Red Cross declares crisis over blood shortage in US for second time in its history
www.bbc.com
Fewer donations and higher demand has seen a supply shortage worsen, the American Red Cross tells the BBC.

A blood supply shortage in the US has reached a “crisis” level, according to the American Red Cross, which says it is the second time in its 150-year history that levels have been this low.

Factors including wildfires and extreme heat have combined to create the current situation, Dr Courtney Lawrence, who works with the American Red Cross, told the BBC.

Supply levels dropped by a quarter just last month. The crisis has struck during summer, when the amount of blood needed by hospitals typically increases.

That is because of an increased number of car accidents and more people spending time outdoors, resulting in more injuries that require blood transfusions, Lawrence said.

    • ContriteErudite@lemmy.world
      5·
      3 days ago

      I used to donate platelets every two weeks, but I haven’t gone in a few years. The last time I went was beginning of 2024; at that time they still asked all the same questions.

      • GarboDog@lemmy.world
        1·
        3 days ago

        If it’s still asking the same questions by then, then we wouldn’t have had the chance to see the new rules before moving.

        • HelloDingo@slrpnk.net
          6·
          2 days ago

          Phlebotomist here! Our organisation does ask these questions, but it works more like a flow chart; essentially what we’re trying to rule out is if you’ve had anal sex with a new partner in the last 3 months, just because of the inherent risks there.

          Condom use, while ideal on a personal level, is kind of a moot point where donating is concerned just because there’s no way for us to know that it was worn correctly, that nothing went away with it, etc.

          • GarboDog@lemmy.world
            1·
            2 days ago

            Honestly having any sex with a new partner within 3 months and is given to everyone as a blanket question would be totally fine in my eyes, idk why anal itself has to be specified. Either way, better than what we were looking at before so it is progress :3

            • HelloDingo@slrpnk.net
              3·
              1 day ago

              Sorry, didn’t mean to be unclear! The question is in fact posited to every applicant regardless of sex/gender/orientation, our entire questionnaire is universal. Anal sex is brought up with anybody that’s had a recent new partner(again regardless of any of those metrics) just because of the enhanced risk due to delicate tissues etc. involved.

              Like you say, at least it’s progress!