Area blood donations have fallen off by 10 percent since Thanksgiving, due to donors not showing up after registering to give blood, according to local Red Cross officials.

"Our follow up phone calls to our donors who missed indicate that a significant number did not come because they were sick with influenza," said Dana Garner, director of donor recruitment for the local Red Cross.

"As a result, over 12 percent of scheduled donors are not giving blood. This has led to the 10 percent drop in our blood supplies versus a year ago," she said.

Garner said employee layoffs in the region have also reduced the number of people available to give blood.

"We're hoping we can avert a severe blood shortage by getting healthy donors to give blood this season," said Garner. She said donations are traditionally low this time of year due to busy holiday chores and travel. But this year donations are running much lower than normal, she said.

Two blood drives are scheduled in Cape Girardeau and Jackson in the coming weeks, and Red Cross officials encourage increased participation. Both drives are open to the public.

Southeast Missouri Hospital will host a drive on Thursday, from noon to 5 p.m. in the Harrison Room.

In addition, the hospital's Jackson Outreach Service will be the site of another drive on Friday, Jan. 31, from 1 to 6 p.m. The outreach office is located at 2106 Highway 61 East in Jackson.