Pacific Northwest blood shortage prompts ‘code red.’ Here’s how you can help
Local hospitals and trauma centers are in dire need of donated blood, according to the primary blood provider in the Pacific Northwest.
Seattle-based Bloodworks Northwest declared a “Code Red” alert on Friday in response to a now three-week-long blood shortage. The blood provider says it now has less than a 24-hour supply, far less than the four-day inventory it needs.
Only 85% of blood needed by local patients is now available, according to a news release. As of Friday, donations are short 700 units a week compared to the need, according to the release. About 35,000 donors would need to fill appointments by Memorial Day and 78,000 by Independence Day to meet the demand, Bloodworks says.
The dearth of supply means Bloodworks cannot keep hospital inventories full, said Vicki Finson of Blood Services in the release. Bloodworks serves 90 hospitals in western Washington and Oregon.
“Blood is being shipped to hospitals faster than it’s being collected,” Finson said. “We’re actively communicating with hospitals to conserve blood and appealing to donors to book appointments so that doctors don’t need to make difficult decisions like canceling surgeries or postponing treatments based on the blood supply.”
Residents can book appointments to donate blood every 56 days, the release says. Notably, there is no waiting period before giving blood after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination.
Due to the pandemic, Bloodworks is no longer accepting walk-ins. And a related issue is contributing to the shortage: The appointment no-show rate is the worst Bloodworks has seen since shortly after the pandemic began.
Appointments are required to accommodate a fixed number of donations per day, according to the news release. So people who fail to show up to their appointments, without canceling first, can impact the ability to collect enough blood.
If residents cannot make their scheduled appointments, they should cancel them so others can fill them, Finson said in the release.
Blood shortages are being felt nationwide, according to the release, meaning the Pacific Northwest can’t rely on other regions to help out.
“Maintaining a safe and reliable blood supply is critical to public health and the ability of trauma centers to respond to emergencies,” said Bloodworks Northwest President and CEO Curt Bailey. “The community must immediately prioritize donating blood for the health of local patients, including individuals with cancer and other life-threatening diseases.”
Residents 16 or older who wish to donate blood can book an appointment online or call 800-398-7888. Once scheduled, people need to arrive with masks and a photo identification card, the release says. The process can take about an hour.
