The German Red Cross and the clinics appeal to people to donate blood.
Bottlenecks are feared - for various reasons.
Munich / Berlin - Increasing blood demand in clinics and the upcoming hot summer months present the blood donation services with major challenges.
"At the moment the blood supply can still be guaranteed," said the spokesman for the blood donation services of the German Red Cross (DRK), Patric Nohe.
However, a decrease in donations due to the heat and the beginning of the summer vacation as well as an increased need for blood worried many clinics - including the Berlin Charité.
After the third corona wave has subsided, many hospitals are making up for postponed treatments, according to the German Hospital Association (DKG).
"This also increases the need for donated blood," said a spokesman.
One of these clinics is the Berlin Charité.
Progress in vaccination and a hygiene concept made it possible to restart regular clinic operations, said the board member for health care, Martin Kreis.
"This is important because many patients sometimes had to wait a long time for their treatments."
But: Blood reserves are always necessary for interventions and emergencies that can be planned - and these are usually scarcer in the summer.
The holiday season and, for example, increased accidents due to holiday traffic and heat each year have an impact here, Nohe said.
"We therefore call for blood donation, especially in summer."
DRK spokesman Nohe called for a continuous willingness to donate.
After all, the shelf life of the blood preparations is low at 42 days.
"Blood donation must not be forgotten even through newly acquired leisure time opportunities due to relaxation."
Even if the blood reserves are already scarcer in some regions such as Hesse or Baden-Württemberg, there is still no overall blood donation bottleneck, it said. "Above all thanks to many young first-time donors during the pandemic," said Nohe. It is important to continue this positive trend. dpa