The American Red Cross has extended its urgent call for donors of all blood types to give blood or platelets. With influenza 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.

O so needed Currently, 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% 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.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities include: Edon on Wednesday, January 29th from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Edon Northwest School, 802 West Indiana Street, as well in Pioneer on Friday, January 31st from 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Pioneer Community Center, 100 North Elm Street.

An opportunity to donate blood in Montpelier will be on Wednesday, February 5th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., The Enrichment Center, 11246 State Rt 15, and finally in Bryan on Thursday, February 13th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Knights of Columbus Bryan, 1216 Buffalo Road.