Red Cross urges blood donations despite heatwave

The Austrian Red Cross is appealing for blood donations, emphasizing that giving blood is not only safe but also urgently needed, even during the current heatwave. Simon Gänsdorfer, a transfusion medicine specialist and deputy medical director at the Blood Donation Center for Vienna, Lower Austria, and Burgenland, reassured the public that donating blood in high temperatures is permissible as long as individuals feel well and stay hydrated.

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A blood donation is possible and harmless even at high temperatures, as long as one feels physically well and drinks a lot - but that applies to every donation anyway.

Gänsdorfer advised donors to drink two to three liters of water, unsweetened teas, or juices throughout the day and to consume carbohydrates like legumes and whole grains. He also recommended avoiding strenuous activity and direct sun exposure, and to cool down as much as possible. A rest period of at least 30 minutes after donation is also advised.

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In the summer months, the willingness to donate blood decreases – but births, acute emergencies, or the care of chronically ill people do not pause despite the temperatures.

"In the summer months, the willingness to donate blood decreases – but births, acute emergencies, or the care of chronically ill people do not pause despite the temperatures," Gänsdorfer stated. He highlighted the critical need for blood, noting that "blood cannot be artificially produced, and a blood transfusion is needed every 90 seconds in Austria." He stressed that for many, a blood transfusion is a matter of life and death.

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Blood cannot be artificially produced, and a blood transfusion is needed every 90 seconds in Austria. For many people, it decides between life and death.