Ireland's Blood Service: Urgent Need for Donors

0:00It's April 7th, Europe news today starts now, AI-powered in Pan-European, I'm Cory with the story. Ireland's blood transfusion service is sounding the alarm with blood stocks running critically low after the bank holiday weekend. They're urging eligible donors to hit up clinics this week to rebuild supplies, and they've even added five extra sessions across the country for this. Sunday, April 12th. Right now, they're sitting on just over two days worth of O-positive blood and a bit more than three days for other major types. The goal is always a solid seven-day buffer to keep things steady for emergencies. High demand hit hard in March, especially with hospitals needing more transfusions, and that lined up with St. Patrick's Day and Easter breaks. Good weather kept folks outdoors instead of donating, so clinics saw fewer turnouts. They're listing spots this week in places like Dublin's Dalie Street, Stilorgan, Cork, Nas, Galway City, Limerick, and more around the Midlands, and West.

1:01Officials have looped in hospitals too, asking them to ration stock smartly for the patients who need it most. Step up if you can. Your pine could be a lifeline, and with quick action, they'll get back to full strength before too long.