The French Blood Establishment has launched a call for mobilization to replenish its stocks as summer approaches, after a particularly complex month of May.
- Every year, approximately 500,000 patients are transfused.
- To this figure must be added 500,000 patients treated with drugs derived from blood plasma (immunoglobulins, coagulation factors, albumin, etc.).
Whereas the French Blood Establishment (EFS) launches an emergency appeal to mobilize donors, know that a vaccination against Covid-19 does not prevent you from going there.
Covid-19 vaccine and infection: what compatibility with blood donation?
“Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca… None of the vaccines currently on the market prevent blood donation,” says the EFS. No deadline to respect either: “it is possible to donate blood immediately after being bitten”, adds the EFS. “On the other hand, if fever occurs after the vaccine, you have to wait 7 days before you can donate blood”, say the experts.
In the event of contamination with Covid-19, it is necessary to wait 14 days after the end of the symptoms to be able to donate blood. And in the event of asymptomatic infection, 28 days must be respected after the positive test.
Fall in attendance at blood drives
After the May holidays which caused a significant drop in blood supplies, the EFS notes with the deconfinement a drop in attendance at its collections. Currently, at least 100,000 bags are needed to have a level of reserve to have enough blood of each blood group in all hospitals.
“Today, we are at less than 85,000 bags in stock. This is a level that is really very low and insufficient, especially for blood groups O and B”, alert Hervé Meinrad, director of collection at the EFS. Hervé Meinrad recalls that “to give blood is potentially to save three lives”. To find out where to donate, go to dondesang.efs.sante.fr or on the “Blood Donation” app.
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