Flu leads to critical blood shortages in Nashville
As many Nashvillians continue to suffer through the worst flu season in years, area blood banks are suffering critical shortages.
Flu outbreaks have led to canceled blood drives throughout the city, resulting in a less than one-day supply of O-positive and B-negative blood as well as platelets. And the flu season is expected to continue through the end of the month, and possible stretch into early March.
"We're facing a serious challenge," Garry Allison, senior vice president of operations at Blood Assurance, said in a written appeal for help Thursday. "We need healthy individuals to step up and donate as soon as possible.'
Blood Assurance is the primary supplier for most of the hospitals in Middle Tennessee and local patients rely on donations for life-saving treatments, trauma care, surgeries and cancer therapies.
Blood Assurance is asking anyone who is healthy to donate, offering these incentives: On Friday, donors will receive a pair of gloves with a matching set for their Valentine. From Feb. 15-28, donors can enter to win a $500 e-gift card.
O-negative and AB-plasma donors receive a $25 e-gift card. O-negative and O-positive donors as well as platelet donors can join clubs that reward ongoing contributions.
To schedule a donation, call 800-962-0628 or visit www.bloodassurance.org/schedule.
Beth Warren covers health care and can be reached at bwarren@tennessean.com.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Critical blood shortages in Nashville blamed on flu
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