Emergency blood shortage in effect

The Vergas Lions will be hosting a blood drive on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at the Vergas Event Center.

The Event Center will be open from noon – 7 p.m., for blood donations. This is the first of three blood drives held by the Vergas Lions each year. To make an appointment call 701-866-4301 or register online at vitalant.org.

According to The American Red Cross, blood supply has fallen to critically low levels, and has created an emergency shortage. In recent weeks, the Red Cross had to limit distributions of some of the most transfused blood types to hospitals. 

“Since announcing an emergency blood shortage earlier this month, the American Red Cross blood supply remains at critically low levels. Despite generous donors signing up to give, recent dangerous winter weather across the U.S. led to nearly 15,000 blood and platelet donations going uncollected in January. As much of the country warms up this week, we need donors to make an appointment to help rebuild the blood supply. Donors are vital to ensuring those going through cancer treatment, accident victims, and other patients have access to the blood products they count on.,” the organization said in a press release. “Blood shortages are an ongoing issue nationwide – you’ve certainly seen us make this plea for help in the past. One shocking statistic has contributed to this problem: Over the last 20 years, the number of people donating blood to the Red Cross has fallen by about 40%. We need to reverse this trend.”

Other scheduled blood donation sites are listed below:

Becker County

• Feb. 7 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Christian Fellowship Church, Detroit Lakes

Otter Tail County

• Feb. 2 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., M-State 

Fergus Falls

• Feb. 6 12 p.m. – 7 p.m. Vergas Event Center