Why give blood?
Giving blood saves lives! Many operations or complications may require blood: difficult pregnancies or births, accidents, cancer, malaria, malnutrition, and many others.
The need for blood is constant, as blood can only be stored for a limited period before being used. According to the blood barometer, some blood groups have particularly low reserves. To avoid a shortage, it is therefore vital for eligible people to donate blood.
When can I donate blood?
In principle, if you are in good health, aged between 18 and 60 and weigh more than 50 kilos, you are eligible to donate blood. If you are a regular donor with no health problems, you can donate up to the age of 75. A woman can donate up to 3 times a year and a man up to 4 times. To find out more, we’ve prepared a short quiz based on the one on Blutspende.ch.
Are you feeling in good health (no cold or fever symptoms)?
If you’re not feeling well or if you have any symptoms, you won’t be able to give blood. But that’s only a postponement until you feel fully recovered!
In the last four weeks, have you taken any medication, had any injections or undergone any medical procedures?
If you have taken certain medicines, had a vaccination or undergone a medical procedure, you will not be able to give your time immediately. In this case, the easiest thing to do is to contact your regional blood transfusion service.
Have you been to see your hygienist for dental or dental hygiene treatment in the last two weeks?
Visiting your hygienist or dentist is always a good thing. But during treatment, there may be small lesions through which bacteria or viruses can infiltrate. To make sure you don’t pass them on via your blood, there are a number of time limits to be observed:
- 24 hours after a scaling/dental dressing
- 1 week after a dental extraction (to avoid infections after wisdom teeth extraction, read our article!)
- 2 weeks after the end of your course of antibiotics if the extraction was complicated or surgery was required.
Have you got a new tattoo/piercing in the last 4 months? Or have you tried acupuncture?
After visiting a tattooist or acupuncturist, small wounds can appear on your skin. As with your mouth, these are entry points for bacteria and viruses. To avoid contaminating your blood, you should wait 4 months before donating blood.
Have you travelled outside Switzerland in the last 6 months?
If so, we hope you had a great time! However, in some countries there is a greater risk of catching infectious diseases. So you’ll need to wait a while before donating blood. You can also contact your regional blood transfusion service.
Have you had sex with a new partner in the last 4 months or multiple partners in the last 12 months?
If this is the case, you will have to wait a while before donating blood. In any case, don’t forget to protect yourself and get tested for STIs.
Where and when can I donate blood?
You can give blood all year round. All you need to do is find a blood donation centre near you. Find all the dates of blood drives near you.
