NORTHERN OHIO Facing severe shortage, Red Cross seeks blood

The Red Cross has 49 units of frozen plasma: 500 is the minimum supply.
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR HEALTH WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- There is a severe shortage of fresh frozen plasma in the American Red Cross Northern Ohio Blood Services Region, and a "transfuse only" directive was issued today to area hospitals because of a general shortage of blood types and products.
Columbiana, Trumbull and Mahoning are among 19 counties in the Northern Ohio Region Counties.
As of this morning, there were three units of fresh frozen plasma, backed up by 46 units of plasma which has been frozen for longer periods of time. The minimum supply of plasma is 500 units. Plasma has a shelf life of a year, said Karen Kelley, manager of communications and marketing.
The "transfuse only" directive for blood types O, A and B negative means that hospitals cannot call the Red Cross and order blood to stockpile. Instead, hospitals must have a specific patient with specific blood needs, Kelley said.
Typically, the "transfuse only" directive happens with O negative blood, known as the universal blood type. What is unprecedented, Kelley said, is that other blood types are also at dangerously low levels.
Low all over
Kelley said in the past, the Northern Ohio Region has been able to get blood from other regions. But, because blood supplies are low nationally, other regions are not able to share, she said.
The region is into the third week of a blood emergency, which is particularly disquieting because the Red Cross is just coming into the summer season when it no longer has school blood drives to help out, Kelley said.
At the same time, weekends during this time of year are usually busy, with outdoor activities or highway travel planned. Unfortunately, she said, those situations can result in increased need for blood.
The American Red Cross, Northern Ohio Blood Services Region blood supply crisis has hit an unprecedented situation.
"We began this morning with blood types O, A and B negative on 'transfuse only' status, and I fear we will add yet another type to 'transfuse only' Wednesday if we did not have an increase in collections today," said Ben Flossie, hospital services manager.
Here's the supply
A three-day supply for each blood type is minimum inventory standard. Today, the region had:
ULess than a half-day supply of blood types O, A and B negative.
U Less than a one-day supply of O positive.
U Less than a two-day supply of A and B positive.
Nationally, the Red Cross has an inventory with less than a three-day minimum supply, Flossie said.
Eligible people are urged to donate as soon as possible. To be a Red Cross blood donor, you must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in general good health.
For information on blood drives, call (800) 448-3543, or visit www.redcross.org/northernohio.