Athens locals donate blood amid national shortage

The American Red Cross declared a national blood shortage on Sept. 11, citing a critically low blood supply that had dropped 25% since August. The demand still for blood remains constant, with someone needing blood every two seconds. The Red Cross provides approximately 40% of all of the nation’s blood supply needs – making it the largest blood supplier in the nation.

There has been a national effort to fix this shortage with local blood drives. The blood shortage is being experienced throughout the country, likely due to a high travel season this summer, normal back to school activities in August and Hurricane Idalia, which affected southern states and its blood drives. According to Regional Communications Manager of The American Red Cross of Georgia Jerrica Williams, over 12 blood drives closed in south Georgia alone, pushing the national shortfall of 30,000 blood and platelet donations.

When supplies are low it can often take weeks for inventories to rebound. To reach the nation’s blood needs at over 2,500 hospitals and transfusion centers, The Red Cross must typically collect 12,500 blood donations daily. The Red Cross estimates they must collect 10,000 additional blood products each week over the next month for the blood supply to reach sufficient levels and meet hospital and patient needs, according to a Sept. 20 report.

Williams spoke on how on top of an already slow donation season, a driving factor in shortages has been Hurricane Idalia.

“That particular storm forced the cancellation of over a dozen blood drives and caused hundreds of blood donations and platelet donations to go uncollected,” said Williams. “That combined caused about 30,000 donations to go unaccounted for in August.”

Not all states donate blood to The Red Cross. Only 38 out of 50 states and the District of Columbia have blood donation sites with The Red Cross. However, all 50 states benefit from the blood supply that The Red Cross provides.

“This blood shortage is national. – it doesn’t only affect Georgia,” Williams said. “The entire country is affected as a whole.”

Local towns, organizations and citizens in the Athens area in particular have made significant efforts to donate in the face of this shortage.

On Sept. 28, the Rotary Club of Oconee County joined with Athens Academy to host a blood drive on the school’s campus. The Rotary Club has hosted a total of 25 blood drives over the years and organizes three blood drives each year in Athens.

“There’s always a blood shortage,” Joseph Wilson, Rotary Club of Oconee County Club Director and primary organizer of the blood drive, said. “The outflow doesn’t ever stop. The need for blood never [stops].”

Almost all 33 available appointments at the drive were filled, according to Wilson. He encourages Athenians to continue to step up and donate.

“If you’re available, donate blood,” Williams said. “Because right now there are people right in your communities that depend on the generosity of blood donors.”