SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A nationwide blood shortage is felt sharply across southwest Missouri, as local health providers warn that regional blood supplies could soon hit a dangerous tipping point.
While summer travel and vacations routinely lead to seasonal dips in blood collection, officials with the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks (CBCO) say this year’s deficit is significantly worse than normal. Regional collections have dropped to roughly 75 to 80 percent of typical summer volume.
CBCO serves as the sole provider of blood, platelets, and plasma for all hospitals across the Ozarks region…