In Occitania as at the national level, the health crisis which has been raging for more than a year has considerably reduced the offer of mobile blood drives from the French Blood Establishment (EFS).
« In companies, it’s very complicated because many have set up teleworking », explains Audrey Marron, in charge of the promotion of the donation – Languedoc Basin. The same goes for student collections, since distance education has emptied the campuses. Finally, collections in municipal halls are also very often canceled: « During the first months of the epidemic, the rooms were taken over by the town halls for Covid screening. And since the beginning of the year, they have been coveted as part of the vaccination campaign », details Audrey Marron.
For a year now, mobile collections by truck have also ended, which nevertheless ensured good visibility for the cause of blood donation. Security measures are too complicated to put in place in these cramped spaces.
There remain the fixed sites of the French Blood Establishment, today called “Donation Houses”: « Donors are therefore overwhelmingly called upon to visit these donation centers in Montpellier, Nîmes and Béziers. They are open globally from Monday to Friday as well as every other Saturday. We also invite all students to go to the mobile blood drives near their home if they can. », insists the representative of the EFS.
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Blood can be donated after curfew
Because all these hazards strongly impact the usual attendance at collection sites, and greatly weaken the blood reserves. Nationally, 10,000 bags must be collected every day to meet the needs. This number rises to 1,500 in Occitania. « To allow us to comfortably carry out our mission, we must have a permanent stock of 100 000 reserve pockets at national level. But these last few months, it’s complicated. We fell to 80 000 pockets before going back to 95 000, but it is not yet optimal », explains Audrey Marron. At the regional level, a stock of 10,000 bags is necessary. « Gold at present [le 20 avril, NDLR], we are at 8 400. Which represents 11 days of stock instead of 14-15 », she describes.
And the situation was much worse at the beginning of April, when this stock fell, in Occitania, to 6-7 days. « It’s the first time we’ve fallen so low ». So much so that other regions had to send bags of blood.
The situation may have improved a little, but it remains fragile. Especially since the lifespan of red blood cells is very limited (42 days). The withdrawals must therefore be regular. Hence the call to mobilize launched by the EFS, while the health crisis seems likely to last a while …
Note that it is possible to donate blood even after 7 p.m. (attendance at blood drives is traditionally more important at the end of the day): « we are considered a public health mission, therefore collections are authorized and we can go beyond the curfew », insists the representative of the EFS. All you have to do is tick the box “Assistance to vulnerable people” on the derogatory certificate.
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In Occitania as at the national level, the health crisis which has been raging for more than a year has considerably reduced the supply of mobile blood drives in the‘French Blood Establishment (EFS).
“In companies, it is very complicated because many have set up teleworking”, explains Audrey Marron, in charge of promoting donations – Languedoc Basin. The same goes for student collections, since distance education has emptied the campuses. Finally, collections in municipal wards are also very often canceled: “During the first months of the epidemic, the wards were taken over by town halls to screen for Covid. And since the beginning of the year, they have been coveted as part of the vaccination campaign, ”explains Audrey Marron.
For a year now, mobile collections by truck have also ended, which nevertheless ensured good visibility for the cause of blood donation. Security measures are too complicated to put in place in these cramped spaces.
There remain the fixed sites of the French Donation Establishment, today called “Donation Houses”: “Donors are therefore overwhelmingly called upon to visit these donation houses in Montpellier, Nîmes and Béziers. They are open globally from Monday to Friday as well as every other Saturday. We also invite all students to go to the mobile collections near their home if they can, ”insists the representative of the EFS.
Blood can be donated after curfew
Because all these hazards strongly impact the usual attendance at collection sites, and greatly weaken the blood reserves. Nationally, 10,000 bags must be collected every day to meet the needs. This number rises to 1,500 in Occitania. “To allow us to comfortably carry out our mission, we must have a permanent stock of 100,000 reserve bags at the national level. But these last few months, it’s complicated. We fell to 80,000 pockets before rising to 95,000, but it is not yet optimal, ”explains Audrey Marron. At the regional level, a stock of 10,000 bags is needed. “Now at the present time [le 20 avril, NDLR], we are at 8,400. This represents 11 days of stock instead of 14-15 ”, she describes.
And the situation was much worse at the beginning of April when this stock fell, in Occitania, to 6-7 days. “This is the first time that we have fallen so low”, book Audrey Marron. So much so that other regions had to send bags of blood.
The situation may have improved a little, but it remains fragile. Especially since the lifespan of red blood cells is very limited (42 days). The withdrawals must therefore be regular. Hence the call to mobilize launched by the EFS, while the health crisis seems likely to last a while …
Note that it is possible to donate blood even after 7 p.m. (attendance at blood drives is traditionally more important at the end of the day): “we are considered a public health mission, so blood drives are authorized and we can go beyond the curfew ”, insists the representative of the EFS. All you have to do is check the box “Assistance to vulnerable people” on the derogatory certificate.
Amélie Goursaud
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