On the occasion of World Blood Donor Day, the French Blood Establishment (EFS) calls Monday for a strong mobilization before the summer period.

In a context of health crisis, stocks are very insufficient, remind on Europe 1 the president of the EFS, François Toujas and the collection director, Hervé Meinrad.

INTERVIEW

The level of blood stocks is very low.

Coming out of confinement, and on this World Blood Donor Day, the French Blood Establishment (EFS) is therefore launching an urgent appeal for donations.

"We are around 80,000 bags of blood in stock and we must go back above 100,000 for the beginning of July," Hervé Meinrad, director of collection at the EFS, told Europe 1.

Guest from Europe morning, Monday, the president of the EFS, François Toujas, also called for a "strong mobilization".

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"Vaccination is not a brake"

"We have launched an appeal and for the moment, the effects are very moderate", deplores Hervé Meinrad, evoking some concern. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and while the vaccination campaign continues, the EFS collection director reminds us: "Vaccination is not at all a brake on blood donation. You can come and give, that you have been vaccinated for a day, or you have not been vaccinated ". The only thing to respect in the event of contamination with Covid-19: the 14 days after the disappearance of the symptoms. "With a blood donation, you can save up to three lives with products that will be prepared from your blood donation," he insists.

Due to the lack of normal sampling, blood stocks have declined considerably as a result of the pandemic. "Many of our collections were deployed either in companies, universities or schools", explains François Toujas, Monday morning on Europe 1. "This collection could represent around 25 to 30% of our collection offer, and it is true that with the confinement and closure of these universities or schools, we had to redeploy part of this offer, but we were not able to find all the donors. "

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"Blood safety"

At the dawn of the summer period, "a traditionally complicated period", the President of the EFS recalls the importance of restocking.

"If we do not have enough blood, we will not be able to take care of all the patients who need it", he said, referring to the issue of "transfusion safety" which must be given to patients in the need

Through the operation "Take over, a month to ALL give", the EFS deploys more than 6,000 blood drives throughout France (on and without an appointment) in order to mobilize as many donors as possible.

The objective: to raise stocks to around 120,000 blood bags.

As for the conditions to be able to donate blood, it is enough to be in good health, to be over 18 and under 70, and to weigh more than 50 kg.

In addition, if all blood groups are sought, François Toujas specifies that groups O and B are today in a particularly tense situation.