Blood bank stocks dangerously low because of virus*

By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor
Last Updated: 1:53am GMT 08/01/2008

The health service is running dangerously low on blood as the winter
vomiting bug means donors have stayed away.

Blood stocks dangerously low because of virus
Blood stocks are lower than expected this time of year

Around two million people across the country are thought to have caught
norovirus so far this winter, with cases expected to peak over the next
few weeks.

Blood stocks, which are vital for accident victims and patients having
surgery, have been hit as donors miss their appointments when struck
down with the bug.

The disease is not normally dangerous but is extremely contagious and
anyone with symptoms is being asked to stay away from hospitals and GP
surgeries.

Cases so far this year have been double the number reported at the same
point last year and are the highest for five years.

The National Blood Service warned a combination of the virus and the
longer Christmas break meant the NHS had enough blood to last four days.
Normally there would be enough for a week.

Ruth Greenaway, spokesperson for the National Blood Service, said:
"National Blood Service blood stocks are currently low. We have stocks
collected over four days in reserve, but we ideally like to have six and
a half days.

"Blood stocks do traditionally dip at this time of the year, mainly due
to holidays, colds and flu.

However, this year, stocks are lower than might normally be expected,
the effects of the extent of the winter vomiting norovirus are clearly a
factor in this.

"We have not had any break downs or specific feed-back on how the
norovirus has affected the collection of blood and where, but it will
have had an impact.

"Some donors will have been affected by the virus and are therefore
unable to give blood. Others may have been affected by colds and flu
that will also prevent them from donating.

"Another factor is that our donating services were closed on Christmas
Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day."

Anyone wanting to donate blood should contact the service's helpline on
08457 711 711 or visit http://www.blood.co.uk.

The norovirus had forced managers to shut around wards in around one
quarter of hospital trusts last week as staff struggle to stop the bug
spreading.

The National Blood Service collects around 7,000 units of blood per day
and aims to have six and a half days, or 45,500 units, in stock.

The blood stocks are currently down to four days worth, or 28,000 units.
One unit is equal to 417 ml.

It emerged fewer than 50 hospitals have so far started "deep cleans" to
prevent superbug infections such as MRSA and clostridium difficile.

The admission from Health Secretary Alan Johnson comes despite the
Government pledging that all 1,500 hospitals in England will have
completed the process by the end of March.

The initiative was widely criticised as a gimmick when it was announced
by Gordon Brown at the Labour Party conference in September.