Minister: Blood shortage will end in coming days, despite ‘foolish’ Orthodox boycott

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/minister-blood-shortage-to-end-in-coming-days-despite-foolish-orthodox-boycott/

Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said Tuesday that the recent countrywide blood shortage would likely end in the coming days, adding that “foolish” calls by anti-LGBT religious groups not to donate — over Magen David Adom forms asking donors to identify “parent 1” and “parent 2” — were not the cause of the crisis.

Horowitz said at a Knesset Health Committee session that the “temporary” blood shortage was caused by the Omicron wave of the pandemic, as those infected are barred from donating for several months, adding “it’s not related to any other matter.”

He noted that such shortages are taking place around the world as well, and impacted Israel in previous waves of the pandemic too. “It’s the worst blood shortage in 40 years, according to the World Health Organization,” Horowitz said.