Do you think blood shortages will a problem again?

[Viking 0]

After all the reports of blood banks and hospitals being swamped with people wanting to donate blood do you think there will ever be a shortage of blood in this nation again??
I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver

[Michele 1]

Of course. Just because people have given blood once, they may not again. After all, they weren't giving blood before, right?
"What of the dreams that never die? Turn to your left at the end of the sky".
~e e cummings~

[Viking 0]

true but nothing of this size has ever happened before. And i think that people will remember what could happen at any moment and will keep donating.
I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver

[NathanL100 0]

I've heard that you can only keep blood for something like 4 days or something. So yes there will be shortage, probably as soon as next week.
Did I Hear Someone Say BEER??
Nathan

[Viking 0]

blood can be refrigerated man yes its parishable but 4 days is way to short!!!
I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver

[Michele 1]

Quote

And i think that people will remember what could happen at any moment and will keep donating.

Excellent.
...
So, when are you donating again??????
()
"What of the dreams that never die? Turn to your left at the end of the sky".
~e e cummings~

[Viking 0]

i havn't had time to let them stick me yet (school and watching my grandpops) but probly at least twice a year. I would imagine the Redcross would also step up there blood drives and such.
I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver

[jtval 0]

viking--
blood is perishable and i do believe it has a shelf life of about 4 days. when i found out about platelet donation i started doing that. it takes 2 hours but it lasts ALOT longer and can be donated to anyone(not just to your blod type) look into it, it may save someones life.
unfortunately where i am we cannot donate,otherwise i would be there every week.
Gettin' high is fun, but coming down is the best part!!!
JT
update-- i just heard on cnn that blood can only be stored for 42 days.(at least i got the 4 part correct, haha)

[jfields 0]

The most often you can donate is every eight weeks, according to the Red Cross. I'm not sure how long it lasts, but definitely not as long as a Twinkie.
The surge of donations is great, but we have seen waves of volunteers like this before. I hope that people remember and continue giving regularly, but history has shown it to be unlikely.
Justin
My Homepage

[skymama 37]

A spokesperson for our blood bank this morning said that the blood they collected yesterday wasn't even sent to New York because they were told it wasn't needed up there. I'd like to think that the reason is because all Americans across the land are donating and they have enough, and not because they are finding less survivors than they thought they would. I'd like to think that, but unfortunately, it may not be very realistic anymore.
Andrea
The brave may not live forever, but the timid may not live at all.

[Kris 0]

Quote

blood is perishable and i do believe it has a shelf life of about 4 days.

Not quite... Red cells are refrigerated and have a shelf life of 42 days; plasma is frozen and can be stored for one year; platelets must be rotated at room temperature and have a shelf life of five days.
Taken from http://www.obi.org/bloodfacts/donated/donated.html
Kris

[SpeedRacer 1]

Yeah I wonder about this blood shelflife thing. When the Gulf War started everyone swamped the REd Cross waiting to give blood & they turned many away. I guess the idea is that there is a limited shelf life to whole blood, and its better to space out the supply. (Then it turned out we lost fewer Americans in that war than we would have if they'd stayed home, statistically speaking).
I for one haven't been able to get through to the Red Cross, and they do want you to make an appointment first. So I called up NIH because they're collecting too. But they took my number & said basically don't call us we'll call you LOL!!
It's probably due to the whole blood shelf life issue that the Red Cross has been saying that they'll need blood not just right now, but over the next week or two.
Speed Racer
"Come up to my lab,
And see what's on the slab!"