How To Help With Critical Blood Shortage In Sherman Oaks

LOS ANGELES, CA — Local hospitals such as LAC+USC Medical Center and the American Red Cross are making urgent appeals for blood donors this month due to critical blood shortages across the region. The pandemic era shortage of blood donations continues to be a major concern for the community.

"The current blood shortage is impacting vital medical procedures at hospitals across the county," the hospital said in a statement Monday. "Without adequate blood supply, hospitals will be limited in the number of surgeries they can perform. This blood shortage can also result in delays and cancellations of scheduled surgeries. This will have an impact on the health of residents who will be forced to delay the care they need."

Anyone willing to save a life by donating blood, can find their nearest American Red Cross blood drive here. The Keck Medical Center Of USC hosts blood drives every month, and donors can schedule appointments here.

LAC+USC Medical Center is a 600-bed trauma center and an academic teaching hospital run by the L.A. County Department of Health Services. It's affiliated with the Keck School of Medicine at USC and the Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health.

Last month, the American Red Cross warned of a dangerously low supply of blood both around the country and in the Los Angeles area -- and hoped to induce donations by automatically entering donors into a raffle for Super Bowl tickets and other prizes.

The organization said the COVID-19 pandemic is driving the blood shortage, causing a 10% overall decline in the number of people donating blood as well blood drive cancellations and staffing limitations. The pandemic has also contributed to a 62% drop in blood drives at schools and colleges, the organization said.

"Our inventory is at crisis levels," Raahima Shoaib Yazdani of the American Red Cross' Los Angeles Region said at the time. "Right now, doctors are being forced to decide which patients receive blood transfusions and who must wait."

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.