KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Community Blood Center says hospitals' supply of Type O blood is dangerously low across Kansas and Missouri.
The CBC stated there was a sharp drop in donations over the July Fourth holiday, with overall collections down 25%.
Currently, the region's supply of O negative and O positive is at a one to two-day supply. Usually, providers want to have enough blood for a seven-day supply.
The center is issuing an urgent call for O negative and O positive blood, two of the most critical blood types for emergency and trauma care.
The center states type O negative is the universal blood type and is used when a patient's blood type is unknown. Type O positive, the most common, is used for surgeries, childbirth, cancer treatments and daily medical care.
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Chelsey Smith, CBC public relations director, says CBC often sees a drop in donations during the summer.
CBC gets about 20% of its supply from school blood drives. However, with summer vacations, she says the center is seeing a big drop during a time when it's needed most.
"People are outside. They are doing things that are more likely to cause injuries that may require a blood transfusion," Smith said. "So during a season when we often see a drop in donations, we see a spike in blood usage, and it often creates a blood shortage. And that's what we're facing today."
Blood donors can give every 56 days, and platelet donors can give twice per month.
To learn more information on ways to donate, click here or call 877-468-6844.
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