Blood banks plead for donations as US blood shortage hits critical levels

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

In her 15 years working working with blood banks, Dr. Claudia Cohn says she has never seen the national blood supply so low.

“This is the worst shortage I've experienced since I've been in this in this line of work,” said Cohn, the American Association of Blood Banks' chief medical officer.

The association's Interorganizational Task Force on Domestic Disasters and Acts of Terrorism says the blood supply in the United States has dropped to “red” level, meaning most of the nation's blood bank inventories have less than a one-day supply. Donations are urgently needed.

Blood banks centers consider themselves prepared when they have on hand about three days' worth of the normal demand for blood, Cohn said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ive-never-seen-it-this-bad-blood-banks-plead-for-donations-as-us-blood-shortage-hits-critical-levels/ar-AALlDqj

[Thunderbeast]

1. I don't know if this is still true, but...

40 years ago I recruited donors for the Red Cross.

A statistic we used at the time:

If everyone eligible to donate blood WOULD DONATE WHENEVER CALLED, the blood supply demand would be met, and you would only be called three times in your lifetime.

I am a nine gallon donor (72 units).

Trust me...It's NOT a big deal, and it saves lives!

Please donate to your local blood bank!

[Skittles]

3. it's still correct

what kills me is how many people in America identify as Christian but never bother to donate even a single pint of blood.

me....I am a 57 gallon donor (blood and platelets)

[zipplewrath]

2. I donated for years

Every 8 weeks I'd go donate. I had some sort of blood they could use with babies (some disease/antibodies I never had). There were always 5 small bags connected to mine that they would sort out for babies. But along the way I got a blood disease and it excluded me from donating. Strangely, my oncologist suggest there's no reason for this exclusion but the blood bank enforces it anyway.

The blood banks have been enforcing exclusions on gay men for a few decades now because of the problems in the '80s. None of those restrictions include any realization of men with gay partners and have been exclusive FOR YEARS. Mind you, there's no restrictions on men or women based upon the question "have you had sex with someone else than your spouse". The blood banks need to be SLIGHTLY less restrictive based upon more relevant questions and criteria than they are currently using. It's long past time, especially considering the reoccurring shortages. I remember here in Orlando the people that lined up for hours (day after day) to donate blood. It was beautiful. But it was crushing to the soul that many of the people who were personal frequent "guests' of the Pulse nightclub were deemed unable to donate because of their sexual orientation.

[Thunderbeast]

4. I agree.

Donor criteria must be data driven.

HIV can be contracted by un-protected sex...gay or straight. It is odd that heterosexual non-monogamous donors are not challenged.

[zipplewrath]

5. Especially at my age

I was donating in my 20's and early '30s. Not exactly the most "monogamous" age range. Yet I was never asked anything except screwing other men. But god forbid I cough while donating, I'd get the 3rd degree.