Frankfurt/Main (dpa/lhe) – The upcoming Corona winter could lead to a shortage of blood supplies. The DRK blood donation service in Baden-Württemberg and Hesse fears this. The expected increase in the number of infected people who are then temporarily unable to make a donation “causes concern,” as a spokeswoman in Frankfurt said. “The supply situation can quickly deteriorate here.” So please come and donate blood.
The blood donation service of the German Red Cross (DRK) Baden-Württemberg-Hessen is currently able to supply hospitals according to their needs. However, the “supply traffic light” is by no means green, the spokeswoman emphasized. Some blood products have a short shelf life, so there must be enough donations available every day. Currently, the number of their own preserves is enough for about two and a half days. A supply for four to five days would be safer, the spokeswoman said.
In addition to the possible corona-related loss of donors, the blood donation service also counted the consequences of the energy crisis among the challenges of the upcoming winter. On the one hand, energy must be saved, on the other hand, due to the corona pandemic, it must be ventilated regularly – and the room temperature to be maintained for blood donation must be at least 19 degrees. In addition, there is a shortage of staff and young people in the healthcare system, “which has a noticeable impact on blood donation.”
A blood or plasma donation is possible in Hesse at various university clinics, hospitals and municipal or private institutions. According to the Ministry of Social Affairs in Wiesbaden, around 15,000 donations are needed every day in Germany in order to be able to safely supply patients with blood supplies. These are used, for example, for transfusions after serious accidents and for operations or cancer patients.
