Out of fear of infection with the new Coronavirus, very little people go currently to donate blood. The practices leads to significant shortages in hospitals and doctors, such as the German society for transfusion medicine and Immunohaematology (DGTI) reported. The experts that are on call to donate blood continues.

"Many blood donation services have reported that the willingness to donate of the population by the Coronavirus epidemic has already fallen noticeably ist", Professor Dr. med says. Hermann Eichler from the University hospital of the Saarland. This is fatal, because the blood products sometimes only have a short shelf life. Short-term Donation declines of 15 percent may therefore have already clearly on the constituents of the blood. According to the current state of the blood supply for emergency to be secured for patients in the near future, it could lead to a shortage situation.

Blood donation is not a risk

The experts of the DGTI not indicate that the visit to a blood donation appointment is associated with an increased risk of infection with the Coronavirus. In the case of the donation dates very high standards of hygiene, so that for blood donors, no real risk of infection with an infectious disease shall apply. "Therefore, we want to people to a regular and, if possible, timely blood donation motivieren", so Eichler.

Because even in times of a Flu epidemic, rampant colds, and of the new Coronavirus, the German blood donation services require a daily basis, a sufficient number of blood donations, so that patients can be in times of crisis, with blood products in therapy, and emergency care treated.

Who is sick, should not donate

There remains, however: Who has a flu-like infection or cold symptoms, you may not donate blood. This also applies to people who have stayed recently in the from Coronavirus-affected high-risk areas or contact with an infected Person had. You must comply with for safety reasons, a waiting period of four weeks before the next donation.

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