Nation Faces National Blood Crisis

Non-profit blood providers across the country are in desperate need for blood donors and are asking for help amid national blood crisis.

For the first time ever, the American Red Cross declared a national blood crisis last week, and announced it faces the worst blood shortage in more than a decade.

It’s a major supply problem that our local hospitals in the Valley say they too are facing.


Vitalant, Arizona’s largest community non-profit blood provider, announced a national blood shortage just days before the American Red Cross.

Vitalant reports that on average, they need approximately 600 donors every single day to meet the need of the hospitals in the state. Currently, their supply is at a two-year low.

The concern is that if the blood supply cannot be rebuilt to adequate level, hospitals run the risk of having canceling elective surgeries.

Vitalant attributes several reasons for the current shortage. In general, the holiday season marks the low turnout for donations.

The pandemic is certainly a major reason for the lower blood supply also continued to dwindle the blood supply. With many employees still working virtually, workplace blood drives have decreased and the omicron variant making a lot of donors not currently eligible to donate.

There is a great need for all blood types, however the universal Type O is especially in demand.

If you’ve had COVID-19, you’re eligible to donate again two weeks after you’re symptom-free. You are also eligible to donate if you have received a COVID-19 vaccine or if you have participated in a vaccine trial.

Click here to find a Vitalant donation location near you.

Click here to find a Red Cross drive.