‘We’re sitting at a one- or two-day supply’: Bloodworks issues Code Red alert for donations

The blood supply in the Pacific Northwest is critically low, and Bloodworks Northwest is urging everyone to donate if they can.

Bloodworks issued a Code Red alert for blood donations, as the Pacific Northwest blood supply isn’t keeping up with demand.

“When supply drops faster than donations come in, that’s when we enter what we call a code red situation,” Juan Cotto with Bloodworks Northwest said. “Right now, we’re sitting at a one- or two-day supply. A healthy blood system needs a five to seven-day buffer.”

Winter storms stall blood donations

Winter storms moving across much of the country are the problem.

People there can’t get out to donate, so Bloodworks is sending blood to places like Texas to help out. Blood centers all across the country work together in a mutual aid system to provide blood to areas where it is needed most.

Cotto said type-O blood, the universal donor blood, is needed most.

“We will need several thousand donors over the next week to restore a stable, acceptable blood supply. If just a small percentage of eligible people step up, we can fix this relatively quickly,” Cotto said.

If you want to help, visit Bloodworks’ website.

Follow James Lynch on X. Read more of his stories here. Submit news tips here.

Follow @James_KIRORadio