Will County Gazette

With blood supplies “critically low,” state Rep. Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) is urging Illinois residents to give blood.

“If you are able, please consider donating blood this winter to help save lives across our state,” Batinick posted on Facebook.

The situation has grown to be so dire, hospitals have been forced to cancel surgeries, ABC News 7 reports.

“Our patients need blood transfusions daily,” Lurie Children’s Hospital nurse Lucas Wesoloski said.

Even with January being National Blood Donor Month, experts say the blood supply has dipped to record lows, with the pandemic leading to an overall 34 percent drop in new blood donors from the year prior.

Hospital officials say all blood types are desperately needed to help hospitals meet daily demands, especially type O.

The American Red Cross recently held blood donation drives across the state in hopes of building up supply.

“While some types of medical care can wait, others can’t,” said Dr. Pampee Young, chief medical officer of the Red Cross. “Hospitals are still seeing accident victims, cancer patients, those with blood disorders like sickle cell disease, and individuals who are seriously ill who all need blood transfusions to live even as omicron cases surge across the country. We’re doing everything we can to increase blood donations to ensure every patient can receive medical treatments without delay, but we cannot do it without more donors. We need the help of the American people.”

Since the start of the pandemic roughly two years ago, Red Cross officials say the organization has experienced a 10% decrease in the number of people donating blood.

In normal times, The Red Cross is counted on to supply some 40 percent of the country’s overall blood supply.