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Hoosier Blood Supply "Critical"

Last updated on Tuesday, February 12, 2008

(UNDATED) - The Indiana Blood Center says there’s a critical blood shortage statewide.

The supply goes "critical" when the inventory of any blood type doesn't meet the demand of the 60 hospitals the blood center supplies. O-negative blood becomes critical first because it's the "universal" blood type that anyone can receive. It's used in trauma situations when medical personnel don't have the time to type the patient's blood.

Wendy Meringer with the Indiana Blood Center says a spike in demand can trigger a shortage, but blood supplies also dwindle around the holidays because the routine of donating blood gets interrupted.

To donate blood, check the Indiana Blood Center website, indianablood.org, to find one of the 14 donor locations nearest you.

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