German Red Cross warns of summer blood supply shortage

The German Red Cross (DRK) has issued a warning that blood supplies could become critical during the summer, particularly for the rare O‑negative and B‑negative groups. After a temporary improvement in early 2026 that brought the daily availability of blood units in Hessen to four‑to‑four‑and‑a‑half days, the DRK expects demand to rise as people travel and fewer donors book appointments.

The service needs roughly 1,000 blood donations each day in Hessen and is calling on healthy adults aged 18 and over, especially younger donors, to schedule regular donations. The DRK emphasises that O‑negative is a universal donor type, while B‑negative is present in only about two percent of the German population, making both groups especially vulnerable to shortages.

Donors are encouraged to bring a friend to ease first‑time anxieties and to help maintain a stable supply for hospitals and clinics across the region.