Blood donation camps: Should you donate during the pandemic?

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By Aratrika Dey

Hospitals are overburdened with patients and cannot admit more due to the lack of beds and shortage of medical personnel. Blood banks are facing an acute shortage of blood units. The demand for treatment has increased, while the number of blood donors has decreased, due to the fear of virus transmission. No one knows when the pandemic will end. Therefore, blood donation camps are the only answer. The Rotary TTK Blood Bank and Bangalore Medical Services Trust (BMST) have teamed up with Rotary Bengaluru HSR to organize a blood donation camp on November 29 at 27th Cross, 19th Main, Sector 2, HSR Layout, opposite Chaitanya Techno School. Not from HSR? Just register yourself as a blood donor online (read the rest of this story for more details) and the needy will contact you. 

Is it safe to donate blood during COVID-19?

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, inhouse and outdoor blood donation activities can be carried out, even amidst the pandemic. It is an absolute must that the organizers and donors alike, abide by the social distancing norms recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO); the infection control measures, and ensure proper disposal of biomedical waste under the Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016.  For more details, take a look at the report published by the National Blood Transfusion Council, under the MOHFW.

Who can donate blood? 

Any individual who has no symptoms of COVID-19, or has not fallen sick recently (preferably within two weeks of donation), between the ages of 18 years and 65 years, with a minimum weight of 45 kilograms and a hemoglobin level of 12.5 and above, can donate blood safely.

Nobody can detect an asymptomatic person. Therefore, the clinical history of the person is taken into account to judge their eligibility. However, there is no official evidence of COVID-19 transmission through blood and blood components by WHO. For information on people not eligible for voluntary donation of blood, refer to the chart below. 

Things to keep in mind 

• Maintain good respiratory hygiene at the blood donation camp as the virus spreads through droplets produced from coughing or sneezing of an infected individual. Do not sneeze or cough openly; follow proper etiquette. 
• Always wear a mask. 
• Make sure to wash or sanitize your hands properly.   
• Maintain recommended social-distance norms while waiting for your turn in the crowd/queue. 

Not from HSR Layout?

The Indian Red Cross Society, NGOs, and Rotary groups keep organising blood donation camps. Just respond to the many forwards circulating in social media, and donate. You can register yourself as a blood donor here, and you could be contacted by those in need. You could also check out Inya Trust and Sankalp India Foundation. Remember, professional blood donation for money was banned in 1998. So you can only donate blood for free, and out of the goodness of your heart. You will bless yourself after this selfless act.

All pictures and graph courtesy: BMST