Blood banks urge people to donate before getting vaccinated

Picture used for representational purpose only

Bengaluru: Blood banks are facing an acute shortage as the government is allowing everyone aged above 18 to take the Covid-19 vaccine. Blood banks are requesting all healthy people to donate blood before getting vaccinated because the National Blood Transfusion Council has said that anyone getting vaccinated against SARS-CoV2 can donate blood only after 28 days of the last dose.

As per this mandate, a person who has taken the Covishield vaccine will not be eligible to donate blood for around three months, if he/she follows the eight-week gap between two doses. Whereas, a person who takes Covaxin cannot donate blood for two months.

Rajat Aggarwal, co-founder of Sankalp India Foundation said, “We are heading towards disaster in terms of blood donation.” He also said that however, no one knows if a person can donate blood between the two doses of vaccine. He stated, “Clarification has been sought. While many are of the opinion that blood donation can be done 28 days after the second dose, some experts feel it can happen 28 days after the first dose as well, which would be in between the two doses. The lack of clarity is only adding to the confusion.”

Dr C Shivaram, head, transfusion medicine, Manipal Hospitals and editor of Global Journal of Transfusion Medicine fears that people will not donate blood till the completion of the vaccination process. He says People can donate before vaccination, 28 days after the first dose and 28 days after the second dose. The words ‘last dose’ has created confusion. But I think the last dose is the last given dose and not the second dose. That’s also the view of other experts I have spoken to.”

A chief of a blood bank from Bengaluru has written a clarification letter to the NBTC on reviewing the deferral period for blood donation after vaccination. The doctor said, “We have also sought clarity on the exact meaning of the term ‘last dose’, whether it means that blood donation can be done 28 days after the first dose. It’s the right time to review the NBTC order.”