Memorial Blood Center sheds light on current blood emergency

DULUTH, Minn.– Memorial Blood Center is shedding light on what they’re calling a blood emergency and how the community can step up.

Typically, blood centers like to have a 7-day supply of blood, to ensure events like elective surgeries run smoothly.

However, an account manager with memorial blood center says, they only have a two-day supply right now.

This is happening for reasons such as the holidays, and the busy flu season the nation has experienced.

Kathyrnn Hamm with Memorial Blood centers said that back stock of blood is crucial.

“So, the seven days on the shelf, that reserve is what allows for those surgeries to happen. It’s there for when accidents happen. It’s for the routine people are cancer patients who need routine blood services, people with sickle cell anemia. That’s why we count on the seven-day blood reserve,” said Hamm.

To donate blood outside of drives, Memorial Blood Centers have numerous locations around the area.

But they mainly collect at their Central Entrance location in Duluth.

However, they do have locations in Superior and Virginia.