Katherine from Memorial Blood Centers was saying on a community spotlight program with Northstar Ford that they experience donation slowdowns during certain times of the year, but now they are experiencing a blood shortage and need people to donate now.

Katherine went on to say that they need 2000 donors a week in order to keep up with the demand of local partners and hospitals, and they are not hitting their goals and need more people to get out and give. Anyone interested in giving blood can go online at MBC.org or call 1-888-448-3253.

It's a problem that is nationwide, but Minnesota and Wisconsin are having a tough time meeting their goals for blood and are asking the public to help. According to we are Green Bay, the American Red Cross provides 40 percent of the nation’s blood, says supplies are dangerously low. It's causing hospitals to cancel elective surgeries and some are totally running out of blood.

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Normally a quick blood drive at a large venue like the Target Center helps, but people aren't coming out to donate blood. The same problem is happening when there are campus and workplace blood drives. The blame is falling on the new Omicron outbreak for the lack of interest by the public to donate blood.

We are Green Bay says Doctors are having to choose who gets the blood for some of the treatments. Wisconsin Public Radio says that both Wisconsin and Minnesota are in critical need of blood. Normally each state has a 4 or day supply, right now it's down to a 1 day supply or less.

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So what can you do to help? Give blood right now. You can go to Memorial Blood Center in the Burning Tree Plaza, or in the basement of Essentia in Superior.  Or go online at MBC.org or call 1-888-448-3253.

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