The American Red Cross is experiencing a critical blood shortage.
The pandemic has led to a sharp drop in blood donations — the lowest post-summer inventory level in six years. Red Cross officials say people are typically more available to donate blood in the fall than during the busy summer months.
Donating blood is essential to the many patients who rely on lifesaving transfusions every day. People with type O blood are especially needed. O positive is given to patients more than any other blood type. And O negative is most commonly used for transfusions when the blood type is unknown.
You can sign up to make a blood donation at redcrossblood.org.
Anyone donating blood by the end of October will receive a gift from the Red Cross and their partners including tee-shirts and gift cards.