The Red Cross reported a significant decline in blood donations across Austria on Monday and is therefore asking “everyone who feels fit and healthy to come and donate blood now,” as it said in a press release.
“The stocks have fallen significantly due to the infection rate. If there is no trend reversal before Christmas, there is a risk of a bottleneck,” explained Ursula Kreil, deputy medical director of the blood donation service of the Austrian Red Cross. “Blood is an important resource that cannot be produced artificially. In addition, a blood supply only has a shelf life of 42 days. Bottlenecks in the supply can have dramatic consequences for people who rely on blood supplies – such as those with chronic illnesses or patients who have to be operated on in hospitals,” she appealed.
After a mild cold or a mild Covid-19 infection, blood donation is allowed once more following just seven days. In the case of high fever infections, a waiting period of at least four weeks must be observed before donating blood.
