The French Blood Establishment calls for donations, in particular of the O negative group

The month of May has several public holidays. Many French people take the air for a few days and the usual blood donors desert the collection points.

Constant needs, at all times of the year

But the French Blood Establishment does not take holidays and has constant needs. Needs difficult to meet, in May, because “with the 4 public holidays and bridges, more than 25,000 blood bags will not be collected by the EFS teams” explains a press release. “However, during this period, patients continue to need blood products to be treated”.

At least 10,000 donations per day for the sick

This situation therefore worries the EFS, for whom donations are essential. A certain type of blood in particular begins to fail. “For several weeks, blood reserves have remained stable overall, but the pockets of one blood group have decreased sharply: group O, and in particular O rhesus negative“says the establishment.

The O negative blood group, quite rare in the population

This particular blood type is present in only 6% of the population. These people have red blood cells that can be transfused in all patients, but these universal donors can only receive O-negative blood. These donations are therefore particularly used when it is necessary to transfuse a patient urgently, without knowing their blood group or for patients with O negative group, therefore.

If you know that you are of this blood group, the EFS therefore particularly invites you to donate your blood these days. Good to know: if you don’t know your blood group, the EFS fills it in in its Blood Donation app after the second donation.

And in general, if you wish to donate your blood whatever your blood type, you can consult the site dondesang.efs.sante.frto find the nearest collection point to your home.