“The blood supply has never been this low.” This warning message was posted on Twitter on Monday 7 February by the Minister of Health Olivier Véran. Since the onset of the health crisis, blood reserves have been dwindling and the EFS, a French blood bank, has continued to raise calls for donations to restock supplies. The minister calls for the “mobilization of everyone”.
It has now been a few months since the EFS issued a warning about the low blood reserves it has to supply hospitals, among other things. But Monday, February 7, the Minister of Health wanted to recall the urgency of the situation: “The blood supply has never been so low”he wrote in a tweet. “I call on everyone to mobilize so that every patient can get the blood they need for treatment”, he added, including a link to the EFS website. This allows you to find a collection point near you and do a quick test to see if you qualify for blood donation. A list is also available on the Blood Donation app.
Reserves below the alarm threshold
Since the onset of the health crisis, blood supplies have been running low and the EFS has struggled to restore stock levels that can meet needs. “Today’s situation is worrying, with blood supplies now below the alert threshold while demand remains strong. (…) And all indications are that they will continue to fall. †, we can read on the ARS website. A situation that is all the more critical when the needs of patients “are still just as important, if not more important, with regard to hospital activity”says the Agency.
As a reminder: blood donation is possible from 18 years. Due to the health situation, wearing a mask is now mandatory during a donation. The rules of social distancing and barrier gestures must also be “scrupulously observed”, the EFS said. The health pass or vaccination pass is not necessary to donate blood. For more information about blood donation in the context of Covid-19, click here.
The minister’s appeal supports the EFS campaign, whose message speaks for itself: “Blood donation: now it is urgent”. If you have any further questions about blood donation, do not hesitate to consult our practical article on the subject by clicking here.