Blood transfusion service issues plea for donors ahead of bank holiday

Covid continues to negatively impact stock

Between blood and platelets the IBTS needs to collect around 3,000 units of blood a week 52 weeks of the year. Photograph: iStock
Between blood and platelets the IBTS needs to collect around 3,000 units of blood a week 52 weeks of the year. Photograph: iStock

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) has called on donors to make appointments as there is a critical need for blood with stocks continuing to be negatively impacted by the pandemic.

“Next weekend is obviously a bank holiday. We are hoping for a strong collection next week. So for some of our groups we are close to a pre-amber state. Certainly we don’t want to be getting in to the zone of an amber alert. That has a knock-on on the health system,” chief executive of the IBTS Orla O’Brien told Today with Claire Byrne on RTÉ Radio 1.

The IBTS receives 500 to 600 donations a day running from Monday through Thursday. Between blood and platelets, they need to collect about 3,000 units of blood a week, 52 weeks of the year.

Ms O’Brien said Covid continues to cause problems for the service.

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In recent weeks the 14-day waiting period between having Covid-19 and giving blood was reduced to seven days with a negative antigen test.

Members of the public who are interested in becoming new donors can register their interest on giveblood.ie