• J Formos Med Assoc · Sep 2024

    Transfusion safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan: Altered by evolving control strategies.

    • Yun-Yuan Chen, Min-Hui Yang, Jou-Zhen Lai, Jen-Wei Chen, Yun-Long Wang, Cheng-Shen Hung, Chang-Der Kow, Chi-Ling Lin, Sheng-Mou Hou, Ho-Sheng Wu, and Sheng-Tang Wei.
    • Head Office, Taiwan Blood Services Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan.
    • J Formos Med Assoc. 2024 Sep 20.

    BackgroundIn 2022, the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron surge affected 8.8 million people in Taiwan. This study delves into how the transition from containment to mitigation strategies in COVID-19 control has altered concerns regarding transfusion safety.MethodsBlood donations during 2020-2022 in Taiwan were included. Donation details and post-donation information (PDI) were retrieved to assess donation fluctuations and incidences of various PDI. The main effects of PDI reporting were assessed using chi-square test and logistic regression. Additionally, from April to August 2022, we collected disease information from COVID-19 donors, and tested their repository specimens for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and antibodies.ResultsBefore 2022, when containment measures were in place, only 8 blood donors with COVID-19 reported PDI. However, by mid-2021, there was a significant decrease in blood donations. In 2022, with mitigation strategies implemented, a total of 3483 donations reported COVID-19 PDI. The incidence of all cause PDI increased from 10.5 per 10,000 donations in 2020-2021 to 29.9 per 10,000 in 2022, with nearly 70% of PDI being related to COVID-19. Female donors reported more PDI events. Additionally, the incidence significantly decreased with age. A total of 1148 repository specimens from COVID-19 donor were tested, revealing no detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The seroprevalence rates of anti-nucleocapsid(N) and anti-spike(S) antibodies were 0.61% and 98.4%, respectively.ConclusionTransfusion safety concerns in Taiwan progressed alongside the evolution of control strategies, with a one-year delay following the pandemic started. The absence of RNAemia among COVID-19 donors indicates that precautionary measures were commensurate with the risk.Copyright © 2024 Formosan Medical Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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