Red Cross offering small reward to donors amid 'emergency' blood shortage

SALT LAKE CITY — The Red Cross said Monday it continues to experience an emergency blood and platelet shortage that recently led the supply to drop to "the lowest post-summer level in at least six years."

"Fall is typically a time when the blood supply rebounds from summer blood shortages, but a surge in COVID-19 cases across the U.S. due to the delta variant has contributed to the lowest donor turnout of the year. To shore up inventory, the Red Cross must collect 10,000 additional blood products each week this month to meet hospital and patient needs," officials said in a statement.

The organization is offering a free Zaxby's sandwich or a $5 electronic gift card "to a merchant of their choice" to those who donate in October. Those who donate between Oct. 11 through Oct. 31 will receive a bonus $5 e-gift card, according to Red Cross officials.

In July, Utah's critical blood shortage delayed elective surgeries as officials said there was not enough blood saved up to ensure blood lost during the surgeries could be replaced. The increase of state population during the COVID-19 pandemic, a backlog of surgeries that were delayed during the pandemic, the amount of activity increasing now that places are opening back up, a higher number of traumas because of that increase in activity, and low resources at community hospitals have all contributed to blood being less available, doctors said in July.

The Red Cross says it has had less than one day's worth of supply of certain blood types in recent weeks.

Blood donor turnout fell by about 10% with the end of summer, the organization said, but hospital demand for blood "remains strong."

The Red Cross needs donors of all blood types, but especially type O, and platelet donors. Make an appointment to give blood by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Blood can also be donated at ARUP Laboratories in Sandy and Salt Lake City.

Upcoming blood donation drives:

Davis County

Bountiful

• Oct. 21 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Bountiful Stone Creek Stake, 990 North Chapel Dr.
• Oct. 25 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Bountiful Utah Central Stake, 640 S. 750 East

Centerville

• Oct. 28 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Bountiful YSA Stake 2260, 2260 North Main St.

Farmington

• Oct. 29 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Rock House Financial, 630 North Main St.

Hill Air Force Base

• Oct. 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Hill Air Force Base, 5711 E Ave, Base Chapel, Building 445

Kaysville

• Oct. 21 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Kaysville South Stake, 550 South Main St.
• Oct. 28 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Kaysville Utah Deseret Mill Stake, 1275 W. 200 North, Flint St.

North Salt Lake

• Oct. 20 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., North Salt Lake Utah Stake (Eaglepoint Building), 900 South Eaglepoint Dr.
• Oct. 22 from 2 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., North Salt Lake Utah Legacy Stake, 954 W. 1100 North
• Oct. 26 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., Big West Oil, 333 West Center St.

Syracuse

• Oct. 21 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Syracuse Utah Legacy Park Stake, 1660 W. 2228 South

Salt Lake County

Draper

• Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Bowen Collins and Associates, 154 E. 14075 South

Herriman

• Oct. 21 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Herriman Utah Mountain View Stake, 14068 S. Rosecrest Rd.
• Oct. 22 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., Herriman Utah Rose Canyon Stake, 7079 West Rose Canyon Rd.

Holladay

• Oct. 20 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Big Cottonwood Stake, 2080 East 5165 South
• Oct. 26 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Holladay Stake, 4568 South Holladay Blvd.
• Oct. 28 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Salt Lake Olympus Stake, 2675 E. 4430 South

Magna

• Oct. 22 from 2:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Magna Stake, 3100 S. 8400 West

Millcreek

• Oct. 27 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Millcreek City Hall, 3300 S. 1300 East

Murray

• Oct. 20 from 1:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Hillcrest Junior High School, 178 E. 5300 South
• Oct. 21 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., Murray South Stake, 5735 S. Fashion Blvd
• Oct. 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Murray High School, 5440 South State Street, Auxiliary Gym

Riverton

• Oct. 28 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Riverton Utah Central Stake, 12830 S. 2700 West

Salt Lake City

• Oct. 18 from 1:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Cottonwood Country Club, 1780 East Lakewood Dr.
• Oct. 18 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Riverview Junior High, 755 Tripp Lane
• Oct. 20 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Holladay YSA Stake, 4032 S. 2300 East
• Oct. 22 from 2 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., St. Ann Catholic Church, 450 E. 2100 South
• Oct. 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Utah State Board of Education, 250 E. 500 South
• Oct. 27 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Neumont College, 143 South Main St.
• Oct. 28 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Dunn Associates, 380 W. 800 South, Ste. 100
• Oct. 29 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Judge Memorial High School, 650 S. 1100 East
• Oct. 29 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Dual Immersion Academy, 1155 Glendale Dr.

Sandy

• Oct. 19 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Sandy Utah YSA Stake, 1600 E. Buttercup Dr.
• Oct. 28 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., Sandy Library, 10100 Petunia Way

South Jordan

• Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Health Catalyst, 10897 South River Front Pkwy., #300
• Oct. 27 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Rio Tinto, 4700 Daybreak Parkway
• Oct. 29 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., South Jordan River Stake, 1249 West Country Creek Dr.

West Jordan

• Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Jordan Landing Plaza, 3646 Center View Way
• Oct. 22 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., West Jordan Stake, 7000 S. 2700 West

West Valley City

• Oct. 28 from 2:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Salt Lake Jordan Stake, 3676 W. 4700 South

Utah County

American Fork

• Oct. 19 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., American Fork Central Stake, 100 E. 320 North

Highland

• Oct. 23 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Highland Utah Central Stake, 10962 N. 6400 West
• Oct. 27 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Highland South Stake, 6722 W. 10400 North

Lehi

• Oct. 21 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Lehi Utah Willow Park Stake, 2261 W. 1500 North
• Oct. 25 from 2:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Lehi Young Single Adult Stake, 1550 S. 1100 West

Mapleton

• Oct. 20 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Mapleton Utah North Stake Heritage Church, 1580 N. Main

Orem

• Oct. 18 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Orem Utah YSA 2nd Stake, 824 W. 800 South
• Oct. 22 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Orem Utah Aspen Stake, 828 W. 1600 N.
• Oct. 26 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Orem Cascade Stake, 481 East Center Street
• Oct. 28 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Orem Utah Vineyard Stake, 422 E. Holdaway Dr.
• Oct. 29 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Utah Central Association of Realtors, 1031 W. Center St. Ste. 100

Pleasant Grove

• Oct. 23 from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Pleasant Grove Manila Creek Stake, 1320 W. 3540 North

Provo

• Oct. 18 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Provo Utah Young Single Adult 12th Stake, 100 W. 800 North
• Oct. 19 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Oakhills Stake, 925 E. North Temple Dr.
• Oct. 19 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Provo Utah Married Student 1st Stake, 1600 N. 900 East
• Oct. 20 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Wilkinson Center, Wilkinson Center, BYU Campus
• Oct. 20 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., Edgemont North Stake, 4295 North Canyon Rd.
• Oct. 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., EnerBankUSA, 1656 S East Bay Blvd, Bldg., F Ste., F375
• Oct. 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Slate Canyon Youth Center, 1991 S. State St.
• Oct. 25 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Provo Utah YSA 20th Stake, 350 N. 900 East
• Oct. 27 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Wilkinson Center, Wilkinson Center, BYU Campus
• Oct. 27 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Provo Sunset Stake, 1100 W. 1560 South
• Oct. 29 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Provo Towne Centre (Mall), 1200 South Towne Center Blvd.

Santaquin

• Oct. 19 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Santaquin East Stake, 568 S. 400 East

Weber County

Eden

• Oct. 25 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Ogden Valley Market, 2555 N. Wolf Creek Dr.

Hooper

• Oct. 27 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Hooper Utah Pioneer Trail Stake, 4979 S. 5100 West

Ogden

• Oct. 19 from 2:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Ogden Utah University 1st Stake, 1465 E. 4600 South
• Oct. 21 from 2 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 2519 Jefferson Ave.
• Oct. 26 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., LDS Institute of Religion at Weber State University, 1302 Edvalson
• Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., McKay-Dee Hospital, 4401 S. Harrison Blvd.

Roy

• Oct. 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Roy High School, 2150 W. 4800 South

West Haven

• Oct. 21 from 2:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Ogden Utah West Stake, 3271 W. 2550 South

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