German Red Cross warns of shortages: Heatwave drives down blood donations in western Germany by around 40 percent

The spokesperson for the DRK Blood Donation Service, Stephan David Küpper, said: "Hitze und Ferien sind jedes Jahr eine besondere Herausforderung." Apparently, many blood donors have preferred to stay home in recent days due to the hot temperatures. "Viele Menschen hätten ihre Spende verschoben oder Termine kurzfristig abgesagt," it added.

Heat and holidays as a double burden

The DRK Blood Donation Service West says it secures basic care for more than 23 million people in its catchment area. Overall, the DRK Blood Donation Service in NRW, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland reportedly provides around 70 percent of the total blood requirement. This makes it the central supplier in the region.

Küpper emphasized the importance of the coming weeks: "Whoever donates blood now is helping to prevent shortages in the summer weeks." The DRK is appealing to all eligible people to use the currently less hot temperatures for a blood donation. The Red Cross also pointed out that citizens can also donate blood at university hospitals, many hospitals, or at municipal and private blood donation centers.

Supply for millions of people

According to the DRK, weather services expect another heat phase at the beginning of July. Experience shows that this will further reduce the number of blood donations while demand remains constant. "Das verursacht Probleme," the Red Cross warned with a view to the supply of hospitals and clinics.

In addition to the heat stress, the summer holiday season is approaching. In Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, the holidays have already begun; in North Rhine-Westphalia, the school holidays start in just under three weeks. Experience shows that donation numbers continue to decline during the holidays, as many donors travel or are otherwise committed.

Appeal to the population

The Red Cross considers this the decisive moment to replenish stocks. The DRK explained that now is the right time to build up supplies and secure coverage for the coming weeks. Authorities are therefore increasingly relying on appeals via media and local appointment events.

The report was broadcast on 30 June 2026, among others, on Deutschlandfunk as well as on the WDR formats WDR 5 and «WDR aktuell Nachrichten». The news agency dpa was cited as the source for the figures and statements.

Blood products have only a limited shelf life, which is why a continuous supply is necessary. A short-term recovery in donation numbers would therefore, in the DRK's view, be the most effective contribution to ensuring supply during the summer months.