Regardless of your blood type and if you respect the conditions of donation, it is very important to donate blood throughout the year, as reserves can easily become very low. At this time, the need for group O blood is particularly important and urgent, especially for rhesus-negative blood. If you are concerned, the French Blood Establishment asks you to make an appointment as soon as possible!
Group O donors are indeed universal donors, rather rare, with only 6% of the population and reserves are scarce. They have red blood cells that can be transfused to all patients regardless of their blood type, but they themselves can only be transfused with packed red blood cells of their own blood type. It is therefore the most used rhesus in case of a life-threatening emergency, if the patient's group is not known.
The EFS is particularly worried about the month of May, withthe public holidays andbridging days, which may cause the loss of 25,000 blood bags. In order to maintain the reserves, it is necessary that the level of collection remains regular, because the life span of blood products is limited : 7 days for platelets, 42 days for red blood cells. Don't hesitate! Andif you don 't know your blood type, it doesn't matter, you will know it the next time you receive blood,and your blood will still be useful!
Official website
dondesang.efs.sante.fr
