SEE ALSO | Donors needed: American Red Cross facing 'emergency blood and platelet shortage'
Doctor Priya Prakash, a trauma surgeon at University of Chicago Medicine medical center, joined ABC7 on Thursday to discuss the blood shortage she has seen first-hand.
Prakash talked about what kind of injuries blood donations are frequently used for, why hospitals have seen an uptick in trauma patients recently, and the ongoing need for Type O blood specifically. She also discussed the process of donating blood during the COVID-19 pandemic and how viewers can donate blood to those in need.
The ABC7 Great Chicago Blood Drive is scheduled for Jan. 12-13.