High flu activity in nearly every state may be sidelining donors, slowing efforts to rebuild vital blood inventories to help patients and relieve pressure on hospitals.
The shortage is especially serious for types O, A negative and B negative.
The Red Cross says without immediate action, patients who rely on transfusions - including trauma victims, mothers in childbirth, and people with sickle cell disease or cancer - face serious risk.
"This time of year is always challenging for blood collection - but right now, the perfect storm of a long holiday season, record flu activity and winter weather are all impeding donation efforts," said Dr. Courtney Lawrence, executive medical director for the Red Cross. "Every person's blood donation can help save lives - plus you help ease the tremendous burden on our doctors and nurses, allowing them to focus on caring for patients."
Intense winter weather and freezing temperatures are expected across much of the country in the coming weeks, potentially delaying or canceling blood drives and forcing vital units of blood to go uncollected.
During the two-week break for Christmas and New Years, the New York Blood Center said there were 10,000 fewer blood donations. "The Red Cross needs to collect 12,000 units of blood every single day in order to keep up with this."
"This year, the requests for blood are coming in a pace that we're not able to keep up with," said Doreen Howe, CEO of the American Red Cross Greater New York.
The crisis in New York began two weeks ago when the New York Blood Center and New Jersey Blood Services announced it had less than a two-day supply for the more than 200 hospitals they serve.
"If we can't keep up, this means that doctors may have to make very difficult decision about how might get a blood transfusion and who might need to wait," Howe said.
Book an appointment now to give blood or platelets by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Life-saving blood donations needed amid severe supply shortage
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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