RALEIGH, N.C. — Hurricane Ian has hampered blood collection throughout the Southeast, and agencies say they’re hoping people will come out to donate once the storm has passed.
The Red Cross and the Blood Connection say they sent blood to Florida in advance of Ian to help with an expected shortfall in collections there. Now that the storm has moved north into the Carolinas, both agencies say they’re experiencing a dip in donations here as well.
The blood supply remains good at North Carolina hospitals; fall is usually a good time for donations, as schools reopen and summer vacation season ends. But the Blood Connection, Red Cross and other agencies must maintain a steady flow of donations because blood and platelets can’t be frozen or stockpiled and demand seldom lets up.
