Blood inventory changes and blood supply situation during COVID-19 / 中国输血杂志

ABSTRACT

【Objective】 To evaluate the impact of COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control on blood collection and supply, so as to accumulate experience for future similar public events. 【Methods】 The annual inventory before Spring Festival holiday, the supply of red blood cells and apheresis platelets during Spring Festival (from New year′s Eve to lunar January 6th) and the collection and supply units 3 months after the Spring Festival (the lunar January 7th to April 8th) during 2017 to 2020 were analyzed to evaluate the impact of the epidemic on blood collection, supply and inventory management. 【Results】 The inventory and its proportion in 2020 decreased to 14 594 U and 23.89%, compared with those in 2018 (16 095 U, 26.34%) and 2019 (16 301 U, 26.68%), with significant differences (P<0.05). The COVID-19 epidemic(3-month-post Spring Festival in 2019 and 2020) reduced the blood collection in urban areas(28 613 U and 19 901 U) and group donation (17 443 U and 5 332 U), but rasied blood collection in towns (43 184 U and 50 963 U). The clinical blood consumption in year 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 was 80 339 U, 79 359 U, 87 581 U and 74 986 U, respectively, decreasing due to the epidemic (P<0.05), with a small amount(229 U) of red blood cell discarding owing to expiration. The collection and supply of apheresis platelets were minimally affected by the epidemic. 【Conclusion】 The epidemic had a direct/indirect impact on blood collection, blood supply and inventory management, except for apheresis platelets collection and supply. It suggests that the characteristics of COVID-19 prevention and control measures can be used as references for future precise organization and targeted recruitment of blood resources in case of the similar emergencies. Close communication with clinical departments contributes to the safeguard of emergency transfusion and the prevention of blood expiration.