Mayo Clinic in desperate need of O-blood

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – Mayo Clinic says it has an immediate need for O-negative blood. The reason for the urgent need for O-negative is because it is a universal blood type, meaning no matter what blood you have, doctors can use O-negative in an emergency.

The Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Center told us that these kinds of shortages are especially common for this time of year, as more people go away and are unable to donate as frequently. In addition, there are a higher number of patients in hospitals in need of blood transfusions.

“In the background of that ongoing need, because of COVID-19, and just lower blood donations in general, on top of this time of year where there is more need because of trauma and surgeries, but many of our donors are away and traveling as many people are, we end up having this supply-need mismatch,” said Dr. Justin Juskewitch, the Associate Medical Director of the Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Center.

Juskewitch says the center has dealt with shortages like this one in the past, but they are still concerned about the implications of an ongoing shortage.

“We get concerned that we will have to start looking at bringing in additional resources if we can from national suppliers, or then if things get really extreme, and we’ve never had to go to this point yet here at Mayo Clinic, then we have to start looking at deferring elective care,” said Juskewitch.

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