In order to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on blood donations, researchers at OneBlood in Florida reviewed 264,593 donations collected from May to June in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Data were presented at the AABB 2020 Annual Meeting held virtually October 3-5, 2020. Researchers found significant differences in total donations, gender, race, and donation reoccurrence. Although many blood drives were canceled in businesses and schools in 2020, there was still a significant increase in total donations during the pandemic for both males and females compared to 2018 and 2019 (p<0.004 for all comparisons). However, mean donor age increased from 45 years in 2018 and 2019 to 50 years in 2020, primarily driven by a decrease in donors 16-29 years. In addition, donations from first-time and lapsed donors increased (p<0.001 for all comparisons), while no change was observed in donation frequency for repeat donors. Furthermore, both African American and Hispanic donations decreased, while Caucasian donations increased during the pandemic (p<0.0001). Some of these changes in blood donation trends may be explained by the closure of schools and first-time and lapsed donors seeking SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests. Further monitoring of donor characteristics is important to ensure an adequate blood supply during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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