MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — The blood shortage continues to worsen, causing the American Red Cross to declare a crisis for the just the second time in its history.
The organization says overall blood donations are at a four-summer low, and the shortage was already severe coming into the season. The Red Cross needs type O blood, in particular, as it is useful for trauma situations. Type O blood can be accepted by anyone. For those on vacation, far from home, being treated by unfamiliar doctors in an emergency room with no medical records on hand, there might not be time to try and determine the blood type, making O blood the only option.
A national blood crisis means that blood supplies are dangerously low, threatening care to patients. For O-positive blood, the supply is below one day. The Red Cross is having to actively ration its inventory, meaning some hospitals aren’t getting enough to meet the need from emergencies.
There are two upcoming blood drives in Davison County, both run by LifeServe:
• Avera Grassland Campus on Aug 7, 2026 from 11:00 am to 12:45pm at 1900 Grassland Dr., Mitchell
• Zion Lutheran Church/MO Synod on Aug 17, 2026 from 2:30 pm to 5:30pm at 620 E 3rd Ave., Mitchell