Over 2.1 million people donate blood on a yearly basis in Iran, but the number decreased by 8.5 percent during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the world saw a 20-30 percent decrease in this regard.
The figure reached even to 50 percent decrease in some East Mediterranean countries and the US had to incentivize blood donations.
The US Red Cross announced emergency situation in blood supply and said that donors would receive 10-dollar prize cards and participate in a 50,000-dollar lottery, as well as being tested for coronavirus antibody for free.
Iran Blood Transfusion Organization spokesman Bashir Hajibeigi said that blood supply of the country did not experience a critical shortage during the pandemic.
He underlined that Iran’s blood security index has always been at the level of advanced countries which have molecular screening test equipment.
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