Nashville blood drives canceled amid storm chaos
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The ice storm is likely to further exacerbate the nation's dire blood supply shortage.
Why it matters: The Red Cross said blood donations were already down 35% nationally in the past month — and ice and snow stymie much-needed efforts to close the gap.
- Thousands of blood donations nationwide went uncollected in the past month because of winter weather.
What they're saying: "This time of year is always challenging for blood collection," Courtney Lawrence, executive medical director for the Red Cross, said in a statement.
- "But right now, the perfect storm of a long holiday season, record flu activity and winter weather are all impeding donation efforts."
Zoom in: Three Tennessee blood drives were canceled ahead of the storm due to the potential for weather chaos, according to the American Red Cross of Tennessee.
- Ten additional blood drives were initially scheduled to take place across the state Monday with another nine on the schedule tomorrow.
- Tennessee could lose out on collecting an estimated 443 units of blood if all of those events are sidelined, per the Red Cross.
Threat level: The nationwide flu outbreak already means overburdened hospitals are forced to triage blood, per the Red Cross.
How it works: Processing and testing blood can take three to five days, and then that blood can be distributed to hospitals, American Red Cross national spokesperson Rodney Wilson said in a statement.
- "It's the blood already on the shelves in an emergency that helps save lives, so we encourage people to not wait until an emergency or a winter storm before donating," he said.
How to donate: Find local donation centers via the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- The shortage is especially serious for types O, A negative and B negative, the Red Cross said.
- The Red Cross is offering $20 e-gift cards to people who donate between Jan. 26 and Feb. 28.