Blood Shortage Prompts Donor Appeal
- Share via
A shortage of blood countywide has become a serious problem, and more donors are badly needed, American Red Cross officials said this week.
“The community blood supply is critically low, and we need all healthy people to make appointments to donate,” said Dean Wilkerson, supervisor of donor services for Southern California Regional Red Cross Blood Services in Orange County.
“That has been more difficult to accomplish in the past several weeks because so few people have been donating,” Wilkerson said. The overall donor pool, even in good times, is small, he said, noting that fewer than 3% of Southern California residents give blood.
The Red Cross has on hand less than a one-day supply of Group O blood, the type most prevalent in the general population and most needed in emergency transfusions, according to the Red Cross.
Potential blood donors must be 17 or older, weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good health and not at risk of HIV/AIDS, Red Cross officials said. Information: (800) GIVE LIFE.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
