Impact of COVID‐19 and lockdown regarding blood transfusion

Abstract

Background The outbreak of a SARS‐CoV‐2 resulted in a massive afflux of patients in hospital and intensive care units with many challenges. Blood transfusion was one of them regarding both blood banks (safety, collection, and stocks) and consumption (usual care and unknown specific demand of COVID‐19 patients). The risk of mismatch was sufficient to plan blood transfusion restrictions if stocks became limited. Study design and methods Analyses of blood transfusion in a tertiary hospital and blood collection in the referring blood bank between February 24 and May 31, 2020. Results Withdrawal of elective surgery and non‐urgent care and admission of 2291 COVID‐19 patients reduced global activity by 33% but transfusion by 17% only. Only 237 (10.3) % of COVID‐19 patients required blood transfusion, including 45 (2.0%) with acute bleeding. Lockdown and cancellation of mobile collection resulted in an 11% reduction in blood donation compared to 2019. The ratio of reduction in blood transfusion to blood donation remained positive and stocks were slightly enhanced. Discussion Reduction of admissions due to SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic results only in a moderate decrease of blood transfusion. Incompressible blood transfusions concern urgent surgery, acute bleeding (including some patients with COVID‐19, especially under high anticoagulation), or are supportive for chemotherapy‐induced aplasia or chronic anemia. Lockdown results in a decrease of blood donation by cancellation of mobile donation but with little impact on a short period by mobilization of usual donors. No mismatch between demand and donation was evidenced and no planned restriction to blood transfusion was necessary.

When is enough enough? Odds of survival by unit transfused

“…The COVID-19 pandemic threatened the supply chain of resources essential to modern health care 4–6 . In the last year, one essential resource shortage was blood.…”

COVID-19’s impact on care practice for alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency patients

“…Another aspect relating to treatment availability are blood transfusions, which during the pandemic have suffered numerous cancellations due to the decrease in the number of donations in Spain, as attested by the study carried out by García-Erce et al [ 33 ]. The importance of this resource, not only for clinically managing AATD [ 5 , 34 ], but also in other medical situations [ 35 , 36 ], has prompted experts to emphasize this aspect in several sections of this study as well as in the recommendations.…”

The Deceptive COVID-19: Lessons from Common Molecular Diagnostics and a Novel Plan for the Prevention of the Next Pandemic

“…Public health measures were mostly based on quarantine and other general recommendations such as hand hygiene, mask use, and physical social distancing [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. Other stricter community measures were the so-called «lockdowns» that limited activities or access to resources, facilities, or institutions, leading to generalized home isolation [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Moreover, a plethora of diagnostic tests and community mass-testing strategies were evident, in parallel with various vaccination platforms initially authorized for emergency use, and the so-called «COVID-19 vaccination certificate/pass», SARS-CoV-2 infection certificate/pass, or the SARS-CoV-2 negative molecular diagnostic test certificate/pass in some countries [ 2 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ].…”