The American Red Cross and Miller-Keystone Blood Center are sounding the alarm on a critical need for blood and platelet donations.

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.

Likewise, Miller-Keystone announced that it has a critical emergency for type O blood, as well as A-negative, B-negative, AB-negative and platelets.

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.

Donors of all blood types are urged to make an appointment to give blood or platelets at either the Red Cross or Miller-Keystone.

To register, donors can use the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device for Red Cross services.

For Miller-Keystone, donors can call 1-800-B-A- Donor (223-6667) or visit www.giveapint.org.

Upcoming local blood donation opportunities:

Red Cross

Carbon County

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

• Weatherly: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. March 4, Weatherly Area High School, 601 Sixth St.

Monroe County

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

• Stroudsburg: 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.

• Mahanoy City: Noon-5 p.m. Feb. 19, Mahanoy Area High School, 1 Golden Bear Drive

• Tamaqua: 1-6 p.m. March 18, Salvation Army Gym, 105 W. Broad St.

Miller-Keystone

Carbon County

• Mahoning Township: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Feb. 2, St. John’s Lutheran Church of Mahoning, 826 Mahoning Drive West.

• Penn Forest Township: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 9, Penn Forest Fire Company No. 1, 1387 State Route 903, Jim Thorpe.

• Nesquehoning: 3:30-6:30 p.m. Feb. 19, Nesquehoning VFW, 300 E. Center St.

• Mahoning Township: 6 a.m.-11 a.m. Feb. 25, The Times News, 594 Blakeslee Blvd., Drive West.

Schuylkill County

• Coaldale: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Jan. 31, St. Luke’s Hospital Miners campus, 360 W. Ruddle St.

• Tamaqua: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 1, Tamaqua Lodge 238, 7 Shawn Ave., Route 54.

• Tamaqua: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Feb. 5, Lehigh Carbon Community College Morgan Center, 234 High St.

• West Penn Township: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 9, West Penn Township Fire Company, 21 Municipal Road, New Ringgold.

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 (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.