HOUSTON — The Red Cross declared the first national blood crisis on Monday.
On Tuesday, we found out the Houston area is in need of donors, too. The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center said there is a need for blood for the 170 hospitals in the Houston area.
"We tried to maintain a three-day blood supply and we are sitting at a one-day blood supply. (There's) Not enough blood right now," Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center Community Development Coordinator Cameron Palmer said.
Palmer said they’re hoping that since the holidays are over, more will come to donate. He said there are many factors playing into the shortage.
"A lot of remote work ... we are not having as good of turnout (at blood drives) as we have had. Flu season is in. COVID is in," Palmer said.
As things evolve in the coming weeks and months, they're hoping to work out of the shortage.
Many people rely on blood transfusions to live.
Edgar Rea, 11, was diagnosed with cancer in August 2020. He has needed multiple blood transfusions.
"The chemo affected his blood and it would drop his levels where he needed a few bags of blood," his mother Alexandra Rea said.
When they heard about the shortage, they were concerned. It's a matter of life or death for Edgar.
"He needs it. He can die if he doesn’t get it," Rea said. "You don’t realize it until you are in that situation. You don’t realize the importance until you need it."