Let's Do This: Red Cross Declares First-Ever 'Blood Crisis'

The American Red Cross has declared its first-ever national 'blood crisis,' saying that the blood supply is still dangerously low. In a statement, the Red Cross added that If the nation's blood supply does not stabilize soon, life-saving blood may not be available for some patients when it is needed

Amid all the other strains on healthcare providers, a Red Cross blood shortage is forcing doctors to make tough decisions about who receives blood transfusions & who must wait until more blood is available. You can help! Give blood: http://rcblood.org/donate.

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Healthy individuals are needed to donate now to help patients counting on lifesaving blood. More than 80% of the blood collected by the American Red Cross comes from blood drives, which haven't returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Make Your Appointment Here

Donating blood is a safe process and people should not hesitate to give or receive blood. Watch this video on the safety and need for blood donations. Right now, eligible and healthy donors are strongly urged to make an appointment to give soon.

If you're type O, please make a blood donation or Power Red appointment ASAP: http://rcblood.org/appt

During this dangerous shortage, the Red Cross says there are days they can't give hospitals all of the blood products they request for surgeries, transplants, cancer treatments, and chronic illnesses.

The U.S. Surgeon General says, “You can safely go out and give blood. We’re worried about potential blood shortages."

READ ON: See the States Where People Live the Longest

Stacker used data from the 2020 County Health Rankings to rank every state's average life expectancy from lowest to highest. The 2020 County Health Rankings values were calculated using mortality counts from the 2016-2018 National Center for Health Statistics. The U.S. Census 2019 American Community Survey and America's Health Rankings Senior Report 2019 data were also used to provide demographics on the senior population of each state and the state's rank on senior health care, respectively.

Read on to learn the average life expectancy in each state.

LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state

Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

Filed Under: American Red Cross