MADISON — The American Red Cross continues to experience an emergency blood and platelet shortage that has caused the blood supply to drop to the lowest post-summer level in at least six years.

With less than a day’s supply of certain blood types in recent weeks, the Red Cross asks donors of all blood types — especially type O — to make an appointment to give blood or platelets as soon as possible to ensure patients can receive the lifesaving transfusions they rely on. Appointments can be made by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-733-2767.

Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions — including face masks for donors and staff, regardless of vaccination status — have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive.

Upcoming donation opportunities:

Green County

Monroe: 12 to 6 p.m. Oct. 21 at Monroe Bible Church, 2613 8th Ave.

New Glarus: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Oct. 30 at New Glarus EMS, 401 3rd St.

Albany: 12 to 5 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Elementary School, 309 Vinton St.

Brodhead: 12 to 5 p.m. Nov. 2 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 405 E. 9th Ave.

Lafayette County include:

Shullsburg: 1 to 6 p.m. Nov. 2 at Shullsburg High School, 444 N. Judgement St.

South Wayne: 1 to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 3 at St. John’s Catholic church, 304-306 E. Pleasant St.

Benton: 1 to 5 p.m. Nov. 11 at Benton School, 41 Alma St.