The Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Trauma Program are continuing to stress the importance of blood donation amid increasingly critical blood shortages experienced across Kansas and nationwide. Blood shortages can pose risks to hospitals in performing necessary patient care.
KDHE and KTP are encouraging those able to schedule an appointment to donate blood.
The Red Cross recently declared this the worst blood shortage in over a decade, with less than a one-day supply of critical blood types. The Community Blood Center for our region is at a 1-2 day supply.
Updated policies and practices allow for safe donation during the pandemic. Donation centers provide specific guidance on the blood donation process and safety measures taken within their centers. The National Institutes of Health have found blood donations to be safe under current COVID-19 screening guidelines.
Locations for blood donation can be found at organization websites such as savealifenow.org, AmericasBlood.org, or redcrossblood.org.
