The American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage as requests from hospitals exceed the available supply of blood, leading to about a 35% drawdown of blood products in the past month.

Individuals are urged to give now so patients don’t face delays in lifesaving care. The shortage is especially serious for platelets and types O, A negative and B negative blood.

High flu activity in nearly every state may be sidelining donors, slowing efforts to rebuild the Red Cross national blood supply. At the same time, hospitals already feeling the strain of the worst flu season in nearly 20 years are now also forced to triage critical blood products.

Likewise, about 400 blood drives were impacted due to extreme winter weather last month alone — more than three times the number of blood drives impacted during the same time the previous year.

As a result, thousands of blood donations have gone uncollected. With intense winter weather and freezing temperatures expected across much of the country in the coming weeks, more blood drives could potentially be delayed or canceled at a time when every unit of blood could be the difference for doctors facing difficult choices about which patients receive transfusions and who will need to wait.

“Winter always puts pressure on the blood supply, and this year widespread flu and rough weather are making it even tougher,” said Paul Sullivan, senior vice president of Red Cross donor services. “If you’re able, now’s a great time to make and keep blood donation appointments, during National Blood Donor Month. Every donation can be a lifeline for a patient who isn’t able to hold off on critical care.”

Without immediate action, patients who count on transfusions — including trauma victims, mothers in childbirth and people with sickle cell disease or cancer — face serious risk.

Book an appointment to give blood or platelets now by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

All who come to give through Feb. 28, will receive a $20 e-gift card to a merchant of choice. See RedCrossBlood.org/Heart for details.

For more information, visit redcross.org.