Some Minnesota hospitals facing blood donor and supply shortage

Emergency shortage of blood

Emergency shortage of blood

The shortage of blood donors is now impacting some Minnesota hospitals’ blood supply levels.

That message is coming from one of the state’s biggest blood supplies, Memorial Blood Centers (MBC). MBC says as of mid-week, they have a two- to three-day supply of blood for their hospitals. Ideally, MBC says it has a seven- to eight-day supply.

“Given the weather as it’s turning and getting worse and colder, we’re worried that by Monday, we’ll probably be [at a] one- to two-day [supply]. And that’s really scary,” said Wendy Capetz, spokesperson for MBC.

And because of that, Capetz said they’ve notified the hospitals they supply blood to, which is a quarter of hospitals in Minnesota.

“We have notified them that we want them to reduce what they’re holding on their shelves so that we can make sure we have enough for all of the hospital partners,” Capetz said.

They’re not alone, also this week, the American Red Cross declared an “emergency blood shortage” as they deal with a 20-year all-time low of blood donors.

“We have more blood going out to our hospital partners than we have coming in. And, that’s obviously not a great scenario,” Brice Johnson, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross Minnesota and The Dakotas Region, said.

“We really don’t want to be in a situation like we’re in now,” Johnson added.

To learn more about how to donate blood with Memorial Blood Centers, click here. It’s a process that can take less than an hour for some.

If you’re interested in learning more about donating blood with the American Red Cross, click here. For a limited time, the American Red Cross has an offer to win a trip to Super Bowl LVIII.