Australia Faces Blood Shortage: 12,000 Donors Needed Amid Winter Flu Season

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood says more than 12,000 donors are needed over the next seven days as the nation faces ongoing shortages of type O and A blood. The organisation said the peak winter flu season had kept donors away because they needed to be clear of respiratory symptoms for seven days before they could donate.

Donated blood is essential for people like 12-year-old Yasmin Sayed, who has a blood disorder called sickle cell thalassaemia. She had her first blood transfusion at six months old, and needs a transfusion every four weeks at the Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick. "I'm kind of used to it now, it's like a second home," she said.

Her father, Rabih Sayed, said he was eternally grateful to blood donors. "My family wouldn't be the family it is today without these people and their generosity," he said. "We can see her grow, get bigger and that sort of stuff. Without the donations we'd be missing part of our family."

Impact of late cold and flu peak Lifeblood area manager for Sydney, John Bain, said up to 1,600 appointments were sitting empty every day, with many people cancelling or rescheduling appointments due to winter illnesses. "The cold and flu peak this year has come a little later, so we are into August now, but we are aware lots of people certainly in the last couple of weeks to a month have been cut down with it and it's definitely showing in our bookings," he said.

Even mild symptoms such as sniffles, sore throats, and headaches make people temporarily ineligible to give blood.

Richard Mitchell, who is an oncologist at the Sydney Children's Hospital, was among those rolling up his sleeve at Lifeblood's Moore Park donor centre this week. He said many of his patients needed regular transfusions and he was concerned about the dip in available donors during winter. "Blood transfusions are a life-essential part of what we do every day," Dr Mitchell said.

Most demand in Victoria Lifeblood said recent appeals had prevented supplies from falling to critical levels, but they had not been enough to replenish low stocks of O-positive and O-negative, the blood types most commonly used in emergencies. A-positive blood stocks have also dropped in recent weeks.

"We are well below where we would like to be to be sitting comfortably to fill all of our orders," Mr Bain said.

Victoria is currently the state with the highest demand, with 4,500 donors needed, while NSW needs 3,100 and Queensland 3,000.

Mr Bain said it only takes an hour of a donor's time. "The actual blood donation in itself only takes eight to 10 minutes and you get some great snacks and a relax at the end," he said. "Honestly, you feel fantastic. It's that pride of helping a stranger. It's that feeling of fulfilment."