Omicron variant exacerbates blood shortage
Staff shortages, the omicron variant of COVID-19 and winter weather have combined to make an ongoing blood shortage even more serious for blood services providers in Butler County and nationwide.
“We're at the lowest point we have been in two years,” said Kristen Lane of Vitalant, a nonprofit blood services provider. “We now have another roadblock thrown at us. In addition to not enough blood donors and the winter weather working against us, now we have a staff shortage on top of this.”
Both turnover attributed to the larger nationwide “Great Resignation” and illness from COVID-19 have affected staffing at Vitalant, she said.
“We have had a number of people who have become ill and who can't come in, and who have had family members get sick and have been exposed,” she said. “The biggest message is that while we really need eligible individuals to donate blood, we would ask them to make an appointment for the days and weeks ahead, not just call up and say, 'Do you have an appointment today?' We don't have the staff to accommodate that.”
Ongoing issues with finding donors have continued too.
“Many of our most loyal blood drive hosts have not been able to host us,” Lane said. “It's left over (from COVID-19), and it's getting worse because of the omicron variant. I think the two biggest factors are now the omicron variant, and the shortage that we have in staff resources, combined with the normal shortage we experience at this time of year — people just do not come out as often as they do when it is freezing cold out.”
A statement from the American Red Cross said that the national blood shortage is at its worst point in more than a decade.“Dangerously low blood supply levels are posing a concerning risk to patient care and forcing doctors to make difficult decisions about who receives blood transfusions and who will need to wait until more products become available,” the release read.American Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania Region communications and marketing director Lisa Landis said that the organization is at a point where there is “not enough life-sustaining blood product on the shelf.”“Our goal is to always have five days' supply,” she said. “For the last few weeks, we have had only a one-day supply to provide, and it does not show signs of improvement.”Landis said the issue is a national one, and that no one area is being more heavily affected than others.“At times, as much as one-quarter of hospital blood needs are not being met,” the release stated. “Blood and platelet donations are critically needed to help prevent further delays in vital medical treatments, and donors of all blood types — especially Type O — are urged to make an appointment now to give in the weeks ahead.”To encourage donation, the Red Cross is partnering with the NFL to enter people who donate blood, plasma and platelets in January into a drawing for a chance to win a getaway to Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. Also, donors in January will be automatically entered to win a home theater package and a $500 e-gift card.
At Vitalant, Lane said in order to maintain the required blood donations needed by all of the hospitals the organization serves in Western Pennsylvania, Vitalant would need 600 units of blood each day. Right now, Vitalant is receiving far fewer than 300 units daily.“Our hospitals are not yet experiencing the need to postpone elective surgeries, but our biggest goal is to prevent that from happening,” she said. “The only way we can prevent that from happening is to have generous members of our community who are eligible make an appointment to donate.”Winter is a particularly essential time for blood donation, she said.“There's a lot more trauma in the winter — car accidents are a big one,” Lane said. “And there are so many situations in which people need blood that aren't trauma — the simple fact that anyone being treated for cancer is probably going to need platelet donation. It's a regular, everyday need — kids and adults with sickle cell need transfusion really frequently, and there are many blood disorders that need transfusions often. Even if you take trauma and emergencies out of the picture, it's really enormous.”Those interested in donating through Vitalant can call one of Vitalant's donation centers in Butler or Cranberry to make an appointment. The Howard Hanna office in Cranberry is also planning a blood drive on Jan. 14.
