Flu Season Prompts Need For Blood Donations In Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, PA — The American Red Cross recently extended its urgent call for donors of all blood types to give blood or platelets. With the flu escalating across the country and preventing some donors from giving, and winter weather threatening to cancel blood drives, the Red Cross now has a critical shortage of type O blood and urgently needs donors to restock the shelves.

You have a few chances in Springfield to give during this crucial time.

Drives in the Springfield are coming up are:

• 2/6/2020: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, 1001 Baltimore Pike, Suite 9LL
• 2/6/2020: 4 p.m. - 9 p.m., St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 400 Lynbrooke Road
• 2/9/2020: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Dunkin,’ 100 Baltimore Pike

The Red Cross has less than a three-day supply of type O blood available for patient emergencies and medical treatments. Type O positive blood is the most transfused blood type and can be given to Rh-positive patients of any blood type. While just 7 percent of the U.S. population has type O negative blood, it can be transfused to patients with any blood type and is what hospital staff reach for during emergencies when there isn’t time to determine a patient’s blood type.

Donors of all blood types — especially types O positive and O negative — are urged to make an appointment to give blood or platelets now using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.