Mahoning Valley escapes the worst of blood shortage in Eastern US

By WILLIAM K. ALCORN

alcorn@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Severe winter weather has caused a critical blood shortage in the eastern half of the United States, but local hospitals have not yet been impacted, the American Red Cross says.

The inclement weather caused cancellation of hundreds of blood drives, including 25 in Ohio and several in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties, that resulted in an estimated 50 fewer pints of blood being collected this year than expected, said Christy Chapman, communications manager for the Northern Ohio Blood Services Region.

Because of the pints not collected, each of which has the potential to help three people, some 150 patients in the three counties may have been affected, she said.

St. Elizabeth Health Center and Forum Health Northside Medical Center, however, reported they have not had to adjust to the widespread shortage.

St. Elizabeth, which has its own blood-donor program but also depends on blood collected by the Red Cross, said elective surgeries have not been postponed.

“When one part of the country is affected, it impacts all the states because resources are shared across the U.S.”, said Dennis Wozniak, blood bank manager at Northside.

He said Northside hosts Red Cross blood drives several times a year and encourages anyone who is eligible to donate. The hospital’s next blo

od drive is from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Feb. 9 in the lab on the fourth floor. Reservations are not required, but can be made by calling 330-884-3780.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.