The blood bank has issued an appeal for all types since the island’s summer holiday months are usually marked with transfusion shortages, Philenews reported on Thursday.
The available stock is satisfactory for now but August is when it is expected to be strained, head of the blood bank Andri Panayiotou also said.
“It is the same pattern every year, August becomes the month with the least blood donations since everybody is away – on holiday either at home or abroad,” she said.
The pandemic also creates problems since many volunteer blood donors cannot make it to local blood centres since they are either sick and in isolation or close contacts of coronavirus cases.
“An effort to cover increased needs is made through the organization of blood donations in areas where a lot of people gather in the summer months, such as the coastal areas of the island,” she added.
Some 250 to 300 bottles of blood are needed daily to cover the demand.
