Voluntary blood donation camp- A challenge during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Voluntary blood donors are the mainstay of any blood donation camp, whether in a hospital or in a blood bank. Selection of such donors becomes an important element in any blood donation program. However, the spread of COVID-19 worldwide had a crippling impact on blood donations/ blood safety and had posed a huge challenge. Hence, an insight into conduction of a blood donation camp during the pandemic and analysis of reasons for donor deferral becomes highly important.This is an observational study about a voluntary blood donation camp held for general public during the second wave of COVID-19 in a school at Kottur, Karnataka. Donor details were taken with the help of questionnaires. Procedures and safety protocols put in place during donation was noted and reasons for deferral obtained from donor questionnaires and by examination of donors was analyzed.The blood donation camp was conducted with proper COVID-19 guidelines. A total of 105 individuals came for donation of which 37 were deferred. 6 deferrals were due to COVID-related cause, 31 deferrals were non-COVID related and overall the most common cause of deferral was hypertension. With the help of proper safety measures, blood donation camps can be successfully conducted during pandemic like COVID-19. And the crisis for blood and its products can be met by adopting appropriate guidelines.