Blood banks are facing a critical shortage of donations after a surge of COVID-19 cases across the country has forced donors to miss their appointments.
A gaping hole of 3,200 blood donations is in urgent need of filling by Monday, with health services pleading for people to urgently roll up their sleeves.
The Australian Red Cross Lifeblood's spokesperson Jennifer Campbell Case said their services are at a breaking point with more than half of all blood donation appointments ending up as no-shows or cancellations during the holiday break.
While blood banks usually face lower-than-average supplies during the holiday period, she said they have never been faced with such a critical shortage.
"We believe strongly that [the shortage] is to do with a number of people who are having to take time to get tested and having to isolate while they're waiting for their results or having to quarantine because they're unwell."
Australia is in need of more than 3,200 blood donors in less than week. Source: Supplied/Lifeblood
It comes as , and thousands more remain in self-isolation for several days while waiting for their pending results.
Lifeblood has recorded NSW and Queensland as the places where the need is most urgent - both states' hospitals each requiring 1,000 donations.
And the challenge for Lifeblood has become even more pressing as hospitals around the country are requesting record demands for blood donations.
"It's really critically important that people do donate between now and Monday because there are patients in hospital who need blood products and we need to make sure that they get them."
Blood banks are most in need of blood types O+, O-, A+ and A-, Ms Campbell Case said.
"They're the most common blood types in Australia, so they're the most commonly needed in hospitals.
Lifeblood is calling on Australians who are able to donate blood to fill the gaps of donors who are now affected by COVID-19. Source: Supplied/Lifeblood
"Around 90 per cent of patients in hospitals have those blood types, so we need to boost those stocks."
People who recover from COVID-19 can still donate blood after waiting 28 days since their final day of being infectious.
But with no sign of case numbers slowing down, Lifeblood is urging those Australians who are not positive to COVID-19 or awaiting COVID-19 results to come forward and ease the pressure that is mounting on hospitals.
"We're hopeful that a whole bunch of new donors will join our ranks to help make up for those who who aren't able to donate because they're away or because they're in isolation or quarantine."
