IPST, the Portuguese blood institute, has put out an urgent appeal this week for donations. Omicron, and the enormous number of infections it has caused, has meant that many donors are isolating and simply unable to show up to give blood. As a result, reserves are no longer stable, and patients waiting for operations in hospital risk having them delayed. Today’s appeal is focused at people who have never given blood before, and those who haven’t donated for over a year. Centres for blood donations in Lisbon, Coimbra and Porto are remaining open over the weekend, in a bid to make up some of the shortfall. For more information access www.ipst.pt and/ or www.dador.pt
