Call for blood donation before the summer holidays

Blood donors have been urged to donate blood before their summer holidays to maintain the reserves at appropriate levels, head of the blood bank Androula Panayiotou said on Friday.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, the official said that due to the summer holidays and the coronavirus pandemic, the available stock at the blood banks is at lower levels than usual.

“There should be around 250 to 300 bottles every day nationwide and to have this flow we must have the corresponding flow in blood donors,” Panayiotou said.

She explained that no lives are at risk at the moment, but the stock must be maintained for safety reasons.

To this end, the blood bank has sent messages and is making calls to regular blood donors to donate blood before they leave for holidays, the official added.

Scheduled blood donations are taking place these days, including in mountain resorts for the convenience of those staying there.

But the aim is to get as many people as possible to donate blood, Panayiotou added.

The blood donation centres will remain open during August, apart from August 15.

According to Panayiotou, those who got infected with Covid-19 may donate blood 15 days after contracting the virus. Male blood donors can donate every three months and women donors every four.

Doctors carry out on-site haemoglobin tests for the convenience of the donors.

Information on the location of the blood donation centres is available on the blood bank’s official website.