Flu wave lowers blood donations

Less blood donations as a result of the flu epidemic

02/24/2015

Regular blood donations are extremely important for the medical care of patients, but the situation of the blood donation service of the German Red Cross (DRC) is extremely tense, mainly due to the current flu epidemic, according to the news agency „dpa“. Although there have been no bottlenecks in the availability of donor blood, the situation could be exacerbated by the upcoming Easter holidays.

In view of the sharp decline in blood donations, the German Red Cross has called on all healthy people to take the opportunity to donate. Sick people are not admitted to the blood donation, which is why the numerous cases of influenza automatically cause a decrease in blood donations. Added to this are the past holidays of the carnival and the upcoming holiday season, which could lead to a worsening of the situation in the coming weeks. Because blood donations are only „lasting for five to six weeks“, such a spokeswoman for the DRC blood donation services to the „dpa“. Currently, utilities are still benefiting from the higher volume of last month, but stocks are in urgent need of refilling in the coming weeks. However, this is counteracted by the current flu epidemic and the upcoming Easter holidays.

Situation in blood donations tense
At present, the situation with blood donations is indeed „tense, but not dramatic“, quotes the „dpa“ the spokeswoman for the DRK blood transfusion services. However, due to the influenza outbreaks that have been diagnosed for around one and a half weeks, the blood transfusion services are dependent on healthy people increasingly taking advantage of the opportunity to donate blood. Although there have been no regional bottlenecks so far, the low blood donation volume is increasingly worrying the expert. Not least because during the Easter holidays, many people are away and the blood donations are expected to go back further.

Already more than 18,000 flu cases
According to the data of the working group influenza at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the current flu epidemic began in the second week of January and has since increased significantly in intensity. In the seventh reporting week of 2015 alone, 6,251 clinically-laboratory-confirmed influenza cases were reported to the RKI according to the Infection Protection Act (IfSG). At present, a high flu activity is found in Germany, so the working group influenza on. In total, more than 18,000 people have been affected by influenza during the current season, with only the cases clearly diagnosed included. In addition, there is a considerable number of unreported cases, because by far not every influenza illness is confirmed by laboratory diagnostics.

Vaccine with limited effectiveness
As a reason for the drastic spread of this year's flu epidemic calls the news agency „dpa“ citing the RKI's limited efficacy of the vaccine used. This does not work optimally, because the particularly widespread influenza A H3N2 subtype has changed and the vaccine no longer fits. Already in spring 2014, the composition of the vaccine was set by the World Health Organization (WHO). (Fp)