The American Red Cross has extended its urgent call for donors of all blood types to give blood or platelets. With influenza escalating across the country and preventing some donors from giving, and winter weather threatening to cancel blood drives, the Red Cross now has a critical shortage of type O blood and urgently needs donors to restock the shelves.

Currently, the Red Cross has less than a three-day supply of type O blood available for patient emergencies and medical treatments. Type O positive blood is the most transfused blood type and can be given to Rh-positive patients of any blood type. While just 7% of the U.S. population has type O negative blood, it can be transfused to patients with any blood type and is what hospital staff reach for during emergencies when there isn’t time to determine a patient’s blood type.

Donors of all blood types — especially types O positive and O negative — are urged to make an appointment to give blood or platelets now using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

Upcoming local blood donation opportunities:

Carbon County

• Jim Thorpe, 1 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Jim Thorpe Market, 1 River Road

• Lehighton, 2 to 7 p.m. Feb. 7, Lehighton Ambulance, 516 Iron St.

Monroe County

• Blakeslee: noon to 5 p.m. Friday, Blakeslee Community Center, 5669 Route 115

• East Stroudsburg: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Jan. 31, Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono, 206 E. Brown St.

10 a.m.-3 p.m., Feb. 15, Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono, 206 E. Brown St.

• Stroudsburg: 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Jan. 25, Eastern Monroe Public Library, 1002 N. Ninth St.

9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Feb. 8, Eastern Monroe Public Library, 1002 N. Ninth St.

Schuylkill County

• Ashland: 1-6 p.m. Feb. 6, Christ’s United Lutheran Church, 437 Airport Road

• Tamaqua: 1-6 p.m. Feb. 12, Tamaqua YMCA, 1201 E. Broad St.

All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.