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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service (BTS) today (December 19) appealed to members of the public to give blood at any donor centre as soon as possible to keep up blood supplies. The recent cold weather and rising demand for blood have driven down blood inventories.
The spokesperson for BTS said that the cold weather has made some donors sick as well as dampened people's desire to donate blood. Hospital demand remains higher than daily blood collection, particularly this week, and this has depleted blood inventories to their current low, with 70 per cent only of normal supply. As the Christmas and New Year long holidays start next week and holiday makers begin to surge, a further drop in blood donations is forecast. BTS asks the public to spare time to give blood, and encourages people who have never given blood or are due for donation to live up to the true spirit of giving in celebration of Christmas, in order to ensure an adequate blood supply to needy patients.
A Christmas and New Year Blood Donation Promotion was rolled out yesterday (December 18) and will continue until January 4, 2015. Anyone who gives blood during the period will receive a "Christmas Badge" from the 2014 Blood Donation Badge Collection and a multi-purpose luggage tag (available in pink, sky blue and olive green) while stocks last. The latter can double as a blood donor card, ID card or Octopus card holder, and help donors to remember to give blood.
Donors also are welcome to put on their favourite or most stylish fancy dress outfit (preferably with loose sleeves to facilitate blood donation) on December 24, 25, 26, 31 and January 1. Those who upload the donation photo using the hashtag #fancydressdonation or who whatsapp it to BTS will have a chance to be selected as the most-creatively-dressed donor of the day and receive a limited edition souvenir. Please visit BTS website at www.ha.org.hk/rcbts for details.
For enquiries about the locations and service hours of donor centres, please call the BTS hotline on 2710 1234 or visit its website.
Ends/Friday, December 19, 2014
Issued at HKT 17:40
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