Waiting time for blood donation after Covid cut to seven days

Up to 20% of blood donation appointments in recent days were ‘no-shows’, with clinics seeing between 60% and 70% of their usual turnout.

The waiting period for people recovering from Covid to give blood is to be cut from 14 to seven days because the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) is down to just four days' supply.

An IBTS spokeswoman said it was also facing a high demand for blood from hospitals.