Erfurt (dpa/th) - According to the association of health insurance companies, a total of 19,598 volunteers volunteered to donate blood in Thuringia in the first quarter of this year. In the same period of the previous year, there were only 18,344, the state representation announced on Tuesday in Erfurt. This development is only due to an increased allocation of appointments, it said. Fewer appointments could have been offered last year due to the corona pandemic. Overall, however, the numbers for Thuringia are declining.
"In view of the high daily need for blood donations for medical interventions, a high level of willingness to donate is particularly important," explained Arnim Findeklee, head of the state representation. There are many reasons for the decline in blood donations. The increased range of leisure activities due to the lifting of the corona measures, for which a donation date often takes a back seat, is one factor. Furthermore, the high quarantine numbers in recent months and a four-week ban on blood donations after a corona infection are causes of a decline in donations.
