The need for blood donations does not decrease even in Corona times.
In Erding there was now a two-day campaign - under strict hygiene regulations.
Erding - According to the blood donation service of the Bavarian Red Cross (BRK), around 2000 blood donations are required in Bavaria every day.
It is no different in Corona times.
That is why the blood donation appointments - under extremely strict hygienic regulations - continue to take place, most recently in the Erding town hall.
A total of 557 people registered for a blood donation over two days, including 60 first-time donors.
503 women and men were allowed to donate.
"There can be various reasons why registered people are ultimately unable to donate," explains Viktoria Lindner, head of the blood donation service at the BRK district association in Erding.
For example, a hemoglobin level that is too low could be an exclusion criterion, as well as a slightly elevated temperature, a recent stay abroad or the use of certain medications.
All of this is clarified until you can finally take a seat on the couch in the donation room.
This is not new territory for Thomas Kettner from Erding.
The 55-year-old, who works in the public sector at the FOS Erding, has been going regularly to donate blood for many years - just like his parents and his son.
“This is being handed over as a generation contract,” he says with a wink.
Kettner cannot say how often he has donated blood.
“I actually donate as often as possible,” he says.
Men can donate a maximum of six times within a twelve month period, and women can donate a maximum of four times.
On Monday and Tuesday, even before the official start, a queue formed in front of the entrance to the town hall restaurant.
There, the volunteers of the BRK Erding are entrusted with the registration of those willing to donate.
Each of them gets their own ballpoint pen and a questionnaire, which is filled out at bar tables in the winter garden.
It asks, for example, whether you have been vaccinated in the last three months, whether you suffer from certain diseases or are taking certain medications.
Points on the floor mark the necessary distances.
Before the medical examination, the hemoglobin level is determined using a small drop of blood.
If it is too low, the donor does not have sufficient iron reserves for an increased formation of fully functional erythrocytes, i.e. red blood cells.
For self-protection, a blood donation is then not possible.
The medical examination takes place in the small hall of the town hall; here too, Plexiglas panes separate the donor from the doctor.
The questionnaire is discussed and body temperature, blood pressure and pulse are measured.
If all values are in the green, nothing stands in the way of the donation in the large hall.
There are disposable pads for the arm, and while the blood is running into the bag, a small screen shows the time.
After a good six minutes and 500 milliliters of blood, the device beeps behind Thomas Kettner - the donation is ready.
He admits that blood donations are a bit unusual in Corona times.
Simply because of the additional protective measures such as mouth and nose masks.
However, all of these measures are having an effect: "Not a single case is known that someone was infected with corona during a blood donation," says Viktoria Lindner and explains that it should also be possible to reserve a blood donation appointment online in Erding from 2021.
The aim is to avoid queues and thus further reduce the risk of infection.
A total of ten volunteers from the Erdinger BRK are on duty on the two days to help with the registration and the distribution of food packages.
Usually there is a snack on site to strengthen the circulation.
The aim is to reduce the length of the stay with the small snack bags, but the donors can still sit in the foyer for a while after the blood sample has been taken.
The next dates
... blood donations are planned for December 1st in Wartenberg and December 9th and 10th in Dorfen.
All information about appointments and blood donation in general is available online at www.blutspendedienst.com.
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