These days there are blood shortages in various regions of Italy, due to the new wave of Covid-19 infections to be ascribed to the spread of the Omicron variant. There are already five regional coordination structures that have appealed to the interregional compensation system, Tuscany, Lombardy, Veneto, Abruzzo and Lazio, but signs of concern are also coming from the rest of the national territory. At the moment 1,240 bags of blood are requested through the Sistra bulletin board, the Information System of the transfusion services, but it is probable that the numbers could worsen further in the coming weeks causing the postponement of elective surgery in various hospitals in Italy to preserve stocks of blood components. The situation is being constantly monitored by the National Blood Center, the SRCs and Civis, the coordination of the main blood donor associations in Italy (Avis, Croce Rossa, Fidas and Fratres) and the appeal is, for anyone are in good health, contact your nearest collection center to book a donation.
It is not unusual for blood shortages to occur in the first months of the year, coinciding with the peak of the flu, the National Blood Center points out. But in these first weeks the situation is aggravated even more by the new pandemic wave that forces donors and in some cases even the collection staff to undergo quarantine periods, either for contracting the virus or for having had contact with positive people. . “The new pandemic wave is experiencing its peak in recent days and we must be on guard – comments the director of the National Blood Center, Vincenzo De Angelis -. However, we would like to remind you that, since the first lockdown, a series of procedures are active which aim to guarantee the safety of all the actors involved, first of all blood donors, but also the medical and nursing staff who work in the transfusion services and in the units. of associative collection. Donating blood is safe and these days it is more useful than ever ».
«Being a donor means being the spokesperson for a healthy and correct lifestyle – comments Gianpietro Briola, pro-tempore coordinator of Civis, inter-association coordination of Italian blood volunteers and president of national Avis -. Therefore it is more important than ever to protect yourself and respect the simple rules of hygiene and spacing that we have all come to know. The need for blood components never ceases and for this reason we invite our donors to carry out their gesture with care and anyone who has not yet done so to become a blood or plasma donor. Acting, as we are already organized, through the planning and booking of the donation means guaranteeing the continuity of health care activities and allowing limited access to the collection units for the safety of all ».