The Brief
- Bloodworks Northwest has declared a “Code Red” emergency shortage as the local blood supply for Washington and Oregon has dropped to less than a two-day reserve.
- There are nearly 30,000 open donation slots through the end of January, with Type-O blood being in particularly high demand to avoid reliance on out-of-state shipments.
- Officials state that increasing the donor rate from 3% to 4% of the population would stabilize the regional supply and ensure hospitals can maintain critical surgeries and emergency treatments.
SEATTLE – Local blood donations are so low in Washington and Oregon that Bloodworks Northwest has declared a “Code Red” emergency shortage.
Hospitals rely on these blood donations for surgery, emergency treatment and other lifesaving treatments, but at current rates, Bloodworks Northwest says they have less than a one-to two-day supply.
According to the medical company, there are more than 29,700 appointment slots left to fill through the end of January.…