Australia faces critical blood donor shortage as winter illnesses keep people away

Australia's blood supply is critically low, with the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood appealing for more than 12,000 donors in the coming week. The organization cited the ongoing winter flu season as a major reason for the shortage, as people with respiratory symptoms must wait seven days before donating.

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My blood cells die quicker because they're not formed properly, so I'll die without getting blood.

For patients like 12-year-old Yasmin Sayed, who suffers from sickle cell thalassaemia, donated blood is a lifeline. She requires transfusions every four weeks at Sydney Children's Hospital. "My blood cells die quicker because they're not formed properly, so I'll die without getting blood," Yasmin explained. Her father, Rabih Sayed, expressed deep gratitude to donors, stating, "My family wouldn't be the family it is today without these people and their generosity."

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My family wouldn't be the family it is today without these people and their generosity.

John Bain, Lifeblood's area manager for Sydney, noted that up to 1,600 donation appointments are empty daily. He explained that the late arrival of the peak flu season has led many to cancel or postpone donations. "Even mild symptoms such as sniffles, sore throats, and headaches make people temporarily ineligible to give blood," Bain said.

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The cold and flu peak this year has come a little later, so we are into August now, but we are aware lots of people certainly in the last couple of weeks to a month have been cut down with it and it's definitely showing in our bookings.

Oncologist Richard Mitchell from Sydney Children's Hospital highlighted the critical need for consistent blood supplies for his patients. "Blood transfusions are a life-essential part of what we do every day," he stated, emphasizing the use of red blood cells, platelets, plasma, and proteins. Lifeblood reported that while recent appeals have prevented critical levels, stocks of O-positive and O-negative blood, crucial for emergencies, remain low. A-positive stocks have also declined, leaving them "well below where we would like to be to be sitting comfortably to fill all of our orders."

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Blood transfusions are a life-essential part of what we do every day.