The impact of COVID-19 of blood donations and blood components usage in Ceará, Brazil

Abstract

Abstract With increase cases of Coronavirus disease in Brazil and the virus propagation around the world, several health sectors were negatively affected, including hemotherapy services and generating a decrease in blood donation. In this study, we gathered information about total blood donations and usage during COVID-19 pandemic in the state of Ceará, located in the northeast side of Brazil. More specifically data from donations between April 2020 and September 2021 and compared with data gathered from donations of pre-pandemic period. During the period, the state of Ceará received 181.362 candidates for blood donation. Of these, 80.16% were eligible for donation and 19.84% unfit. The number of candidates decreased by 16.72% in 2020 and 5.10% in 2021 in comparison to the same periods in 2018. The main causes of inability for candidates during the pandemic period were low hematocrit/hemoglobin, occasional sexual intercourse in the last 12 months and suspicion or confirmation of COVID in the last 10 days. However, the increasing number of critically ill hospitalized COVID patients increased the blood supply, as transfusions increased by 1.03% in 2020 and 7.96% in 2021, showing a higher demand in RBC, platelets, FFP and CRYO. The pandemic had a significant impact on national blood stocks, causing a change in donation behavior and causing a concern to maintain an adequate blood supply during this crisis. Despite the situation, the stock of blood components in HEMOCE met the Ceará blood demand in the hospitals.