The Red Cross is running low on blood nationwide. A holiday in the middle of the first week of the month combined with school being out for the summer and people taking vacations have left the blood banks in need of deposits. Officials with the Red Cross warn that shortages leave hospitals at dangerous levels should a major tragedy occur. Red Cross Illinois spokeswoman Laura McGuire says blood is being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in.
“Any time there are low inventory numbers it really scares us.” describes McGuire. “We really want to have the blood on the shelves because we never know when emergencies are going to happen.”
There is one specific blood type that McGuire says hospitals are in dire need of.
“We are especially in need of O-negative and O-positive blood as O-negative is the universal blood type.”
Go to redcross.org to find the nearest blood drive scheduled.
