Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin has declared a statewide emergency need for blood donations.
According to Versiti Chief Medical Officer Tom Abshire, “The blood supply has reached crisis proportions.”
He added, “The unprecedented shift in the environment has created the perfect storm, resulting in a national blood shortage, which is also impacting our local communities.
He stated with respect to supplying their hospital partners, “patient lives could be at risk, particularly if trauma situations occur, if we’re not able to maintain an adequate blood supply.”
Versiti, which is headquartered in Milwaukee, indicates that since the start of COVID-19 in March, nearly 600 blood drives have been canceled statewide, with many schools, businesses & churches unable to hold drives. It has resulted in a loss of 15,000 blood donations.
Appointments are strongly encouraged & they can be scheduled by calling 1-877-BE-A-HERO (1-877-232-4376), or versiti.org/Wisconsin.
