This week, Dr. Walter Kelley, medical officer for the American Red Cross Lewis and Clark and Arizona regions, joins Melissa Davlin to discuss the emergency blood shortage affecting Idaho and the rest of the nation. That blood shortage is a key reason the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare re-activated crisis standards of care for three public health districts in southwestern Idaho on Monday.

This activation is different than the delta-driven surge in the fall, when hospital capacity was a key factor. Hospitalizations are rising, but what’s putting so much strain on the healthcare system is the combination of the blood shortage and healthcare workers getting sick with the omicron COVID-19 variant.