Blood drive in Carlisle helps combat blood shortagesThe American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania normally has a five day supply of blood on their shelves at all times, allowing them to mobilize and move blood to medical centers where it’s needed.
“And to imagine a scenario where that isn’t available on the shelf... That’s where we are right now,” Landis said. “We’re getting very close to that point in time and this is why we had to announce that this is a crisis.
The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center has seen its supply of Type O blood drop in half this month. The hospital typically has six days of supply on hand, but was down to a three-day supply, according to theirType O Negative is considered the “universal blood type” because because it can be transfused to anyone, regardless of their blood type, and is particularly valuable because it can be used when a patient’s blood type is unknown. Type O Positive is the “most common blood type” which is whyDr.
Officials from UPMC and Geisinger Health systems are saying they’re currently managing to stay in the “green condition” and not experiencing major difficulties retrieving blood due to working with other donors and implementing blood-conservation programs. “That program basically helps us locate blood and manage it so we don’t come to a stage where we are short of blood,” Mattler said.