Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on supply and use of blood for transfusion.

The COVID-19 pandemic has major implications for blood transfusion. There are uncertain patterns of demand, and transfusion institutions need to plan for reductions in donations and loss of crucial staff because of sickness and public health restrictions. We systematically searched for relevant studies addressing the transfusion chain-from donor, through collection and processing, to patients-to provide a synthesis of the published literature and guidance during times of potential or actual shortage. A reduction in donor numbers has largely been matched by reductions in demand for transfusion. Contingency planning includes prioritisation policies for patients in the event of predicted shortage. A range of strategies maintain ongoing equitable access to blood for transfusion during the pandemic, in addition to providing new therapies such as convalescent plasma. Sharing experience and developing expert consensus on the basis of evolving publications will help transfusion services and hospitals in countries at different stages in the pandemic.

Stanworth SJ ，New HV ，Apelseth TO ，Brunskill S ，Cardigan R ，Doree C ，Germain M ，Goldman M ，Massey E ，Prati D ，Shehata N ，So-Osman C ，Thachil J ... -  《Lancet Haematology》

"Because Every Drop Counts": Blood donation during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Sahu KK ，Raturi M ，Siddiqui AD ，Cerny J ... -  《-》

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on blood supplies and transfusion services in Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spurred a global health crisis. The safety and supply of blood during this pandemic has been a concern of blood banks and transfusion services as it is expected to adversely affect blood system activities. We aim to assess the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) during the first months of the pandemic. A survey was designed to address blood supply, transfusion demand, and donor management during the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. Medical directors of different blood banks were invited to participate. A total of 16 centers participated with representation from 15/19 countries in the region. In total, 75% were from national blood banks. Most centres had a decrease in the blood supply, ranging from 26-50%. Representatives from 14 countries (93.3%) believed that public fear has contributed to a decrease in donations. Most centres (n=12, 75%) had a reduction in transfusion demand, while those who did not, reported heavy involvement in treating patients with underlying haemoglobinopathies and haematological malignancies. Half of the centres activated their contingency plans. Four centres had to alter the blood donor eligibility criteria to meet demands. All centres implemented donor deferral criteria in relation to SARS-CoV-2, but were variable in measures to mitigate the risk of donor and staff exposure. Blood services in the region faced variable degrees of blood shortages. We summarize lessons learnt during this pandemic for the blood banks to consider to plan, assess, and respond proportionately to future similar pandemics.

Al-Riyami AZ ，Abdella YE ，Badawi MA ，Panchatcharam SM ，Ghaleb Y ，Maghsudlu M ，Satti M ，Lahjouji K ，Merenkov Z ，Adwan A ，Feghali R ，Gebril N ，Hejress S ，Hmida S ，AlHumaidan H ，Jamal D ，Najjar O ，Raouf M ... -  《-》

Blood Banking and Transfusion Medicine Challenges During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

SARS-CoV-2 (also known as COVID-19) has been an unprecedented challenge in many parts of the medical field with blood banking being no exception. COVID-19 has had a distinctly negative effect on our blood collection nationwide forcing blood banks, blood centers, and the US government to adopt new policies to adapt to a decreased blood supply as well as to protect our donors from COVID-19. These policies can be seen distinctly in patient blood management and blood bank operations. We are also faced with developing policies and procedures for a nontraditional therapy, convalescent plasma; its efficacy and safety is still not completely elucidated as of yet.

Ngo A ，Masel D ，Cahill C ，Blumberg N ，Refaai MA ... -  《-》

Deployment of convalescent plasma for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

Bloch EM ，Shoham S ，Casadevall A ，Sachais BS ，Shaz B ，Winters JL ，van Buskirk C ，Grossman BJ ，Joyner M ，Henderson JP ，Pekosz A ，Lau B ，Wesolowski A ，Katz L ，Shan H ，Auwaerter PG ，Thomas D ，Sullivan DJ ，Paneth N ，Gehrie E ，Spitalnik S ，Hod EA ，Pollack L ，Nicholson WT ，Pirofski LA ，Bailey JA ，Tobian AA ... -  《-》