Australians smash blood donation records in wake of Bondi Beach Hanukkah attack

Two national blood donation records have been broken in Australia, local outlet SBS News reports, as people have lined up in their thousands to donate blood in the wake of the Bondi Beach Hanukkah terror attack.

A spokesperson for Australian Red Cross Lifeblood tells SBS News that on Monday, the day after 15 people were gunned down in Bondi Beach, “close to 50,000 appointments were booked — more than double the previous record.”

In total, the spokesperson says, “7,810 donations of blood, plasma, and platelets were made across the country in 24 hours” — a record number of donations in a single day.

“From the darkness into the light”

The NSW Premier called for blood donors after the Bondi Beach attack.

And thousands of Aussies not only in NSW, but across Australia, answered that call. ????????????

With Sydneysiders patiently waiting for up to four hours.

Lifeblood was… pic.twitter.com/GqzhWUtSfh

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In the aftermath of the attack, Lifeblood put out a nationwide request for blood donations, and in particular for O-negative blood — the universal blood type.

According to SBS News, the response to the request has been overwhelming, and some donor centers now have no available appointments until mid-to-late January.