Call for new blood donors before virus affects supply

Published on Tuesday 28 July 2009 22:01

HEALTH officials are preparing for blood supplies to be hit by the flu pandemic as more cases emerge in the winter.

People who are ill, including those with flu, cannot give blood, raising the possibility that if a large number of donors are affected, supplies to the NHS could drop.

The Blood Transfusion Service in England has started advertising for new donors ahead of any increase in flu activity.

In Scotland, the service said supplies were currently good but their plans included measures to increase publicity to encourage more donors to come forward as they are needed.

Moira Eadie, from the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, said at the moment, blood supplies were not causing concern with stocks of six to eight days supply in the positive blood groups and four to five in the negative types.

But she said the service had plans in place to help maintain the supply if levels dropped due to swine flu.

"What we are planning is to maintain levels of blood supplies to that six to eight days' supply so that we can supply hospitals," she said.

"Obviously should we enter the winter and fewer people give blood because of flu or anything else then we will have to redouble our efforts in asking healthy people to donate."

A spokeswoman for the British Medical Association in Scotland said: "People suffering from swine flu are likely to feel unwell and unable to give blood. However once they have recovered there would seem to be no reason why they cannot give blood again."

Adverts from the Blood Transfusion Service in England state: "People can't give blood when they've got the flu.

"To build up supplies in preparation for the flu season, flu donors are needed now."

A spokeswoman said: "If you are showing flu-like symptoms you are not able to come and donate. So it is about getting the message out there that people need to come and register to try to help us keep stocks up over the summer and into the winter.

Red blood cells have a shelf-life of 35 days, with other products such as platelets lasting just five, so they cannot be stockpiled.