In Berlin, the supply of blood products is acutely endangered – the medical association announced this and appealed to potential donors to contact the German Red Cross (DRK).

The current volume of blood donations in the city is up to 30 percent below normal. With a blood donation, doctors could help up to three seriously ill or injured people in an emergency, said Peter Bobbert, President of the Berlin Medical Association. Men and women over the age of 18 and weighing at least 50 kilograms can donate.

According to the Medical Association, there are various reasons why the current supply situation is so difficult: On the one hand, the need for blood products in the clinics is high, since interventions that were postponed during the corona pandemic are now being made up for in addition to normal operations.

In addition, the start of the “fine weather period” apparently discouraged many Berliners from donating blood. Although various surveys show that most people are willing to donate blood, ultimately only three percent do so.

The current situation is also complicated by the fact that people who have been infected with the coronavirus are only allowed to donate blood a month after they have recovered.

According to the Medical Association, regular blood donations are also important because the blood preparations obtained from blood donations only have a shelf life of between five days and five weeks. In particular, the supply of blood groups A, A-, 0, 0- and B- is currently at risk in Berlin.

The DRK organizes blood donation appointments in most districts. All DRK blood donation dates are available online: blutspende-nordost.de. Further information is available on the free telephone hotline 0800 11 949 11.