NHS asks people to continue giving blood despite Coronavirus outbreak

The National Health Service is asking people to continue giving blood, despite the Coronavirus outbreak.

Centres have brought in extra measures to ensure donors do not get the virus.

Bristol Blood Donor Centre has a triage system in place to ask donors if they have had the virus or have been in contact with anyone who is self-isolating.

Centres have extra measures in place to ensure donors don't get the virus. Credit: ITV West Country

Blood stocks are currently good, and demand has reduced because many operations have been cancelled.

But the NHS says it still needs people to donate.

Alison Dent of Bristol Blood Donor Centre said patients "will still need to have blood for a variety of different reasons".

Despite blood stocks being good, the service says it still needs regular donations. Credit: ITV West Country

The NHS says there is no evidence that Covid-19 spreads through blood donation.

Donors do not have blood tests for the virus beforehand and if you have had the virus you can give blood 14 days after the symptoms are settled.

The service does ask donors to come to donations alone.

If people are self-isolating as per Government guidelines they should not attend.

You can find more information about precautions being put in place and whether you can attend a session here.