As in most countries, the COVID pandemic caused widespread disruption to blood donation initiatives in Vietnam. In the second of this two-part Q&A series, Dr Tran Ngoc Que, director of the National Blood Centre at the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) in Hanoi, discusses how NIHBT helped coordinate the blood supply during these challenging times.

How did the COVID pandemic impact blood donation activities in Vietnam?

The pandemic had a big impact on Vietnam, especially during its early stages. At that time, if only one case was detected, social distancing was applied in the whole country and we were restricted for both travel and holding events, which affected blood donation activities.

In fact, as soon as the pandemic broke out, almost all of our blood donation schedules were delayed. However, measures were quickly taken so that people understood that blood donation is a necessary activity to save and treat patients.

Communication and television played an important role in increasing interactions. We only need to appear for a few seconds on VTV1 and then blood donation locations would be crowded with people. Television still has a significant influence on Vietnamese people.

How did you work to keep blood donors safe?

We used to gather a lot of people in one location for blood donor events, but during the pandemic we divided donors in small groups and extended the duration of the blood donation process. We also focused less on mobile donation points and more fixed blood donation locations.

We deployed a clear safety process at our blood donation locations. For example, donors registered online to limit contact, with certificates and registration papers printed. Upon arrival, we checked the temperature of our donors, made the appropriate medical declaration, and followed all standards.

Epidemic prevention measures were implemented for all staff of the centre too. When vaccines were available, they were required to be vaccinated immediately. PCR testing was carried out on them twice a week and protective equipment was used.

In 2020 and 2021, these precautions ensured that there were almost no cases of COVID infection among blood donors or between blood donors and staff—a huge success.

What was the impact of social distancing requirements on blood donation activities?

In the most difficult period, when social distancing was applied in the North and the South, we considered delaying all blood donation schedules because people were not allowed to go out to the street, but we made efforts to show that blood donation was an urgent activity. We helped donors go through the checkpoints to participate in blood donation, and we called on provinces and cities with good pandemic control to enhance activities.

When we saw a shortage of blood during the social distancing phase in the South, and especially in Ho Chi Minh City due to travel restriction, we called on people in normal areas in the North to donate blood to support the South. We built and developed an application for blood donors to keep track of their blood units. Many people were very happy with the result—through the messages given to them, they saw the full meaning of their blood donation.

All these activities significantly increased the number of blood donors. Normally, we only collected about 1,200 blood units per day, but during the pandemic, there was a period of ten consecutive days when 20,000 donors came to our blood collection locations. Some days we received up to 2,000 blood units, which was much more than normal.

In 2021, during the height of the pandemic outbreak, we still received 347,130 units of blood, accounting for nearly 98% of the original plan. We not only served 26 provinces and cities in the North, but also supplied 20,000 blood units to Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho and Kien Giang, as well as some central provinces suffering from a shortage of blood.

Even though the pandemic caused great damage, there was no serious shortage of blood in hospitals, and NIHBT played a role in regulating blood transfusion activities across the country.

What else changed in the blood donation process as a result of the COVID pandemic?

One change is that we needed to determine how long it takes for people who get vaccinated to be cleared to donate blood. Normally, they can donate blood one week after vaccination, assuming they do not have any abnormal symptoms. We also needed to know how long it takes for people who have recovered from COVID to donate blood.

Another consideration is whether a donor is later found to be COVID positive after donating. In the past, we were very afraid of blood bags of people infected with COVID, which were discarded a lot. It is now known that SARS-CoV-2 is not transmitted via blood, so even if a donor is found to be positive, that blood unit can be used for patients as usual.

What were some key lessons that will help blood banks prepare for future pandemics?

I think there are several lessons. First, when there is a shortage of blood, the whole political system is involved in communication, and it is necessary to monitor the blood supply and clarify the extent of the impact so that everyone is encouraged to participate in blood donation.

Second, it is critical to take measures for infection prevention because one case of infection will definitely compromise all blood donation activities. Even during the social distancing period, no COVID infection occurred during the blood donation process.

Third, we have to develop a long-term blood donor management strategy. For example, in the past, we used to organise large blood donation activities, but now we organise blood donation in locations closer to the people.

Finally, the noble actions of blood donors during the pandemic should be showcased so that they can see that their donation has really contributed to solving and helping to improve the situation.

This is the second of a two-part Q&A with Dr Tran Ngoc Que, Director of the National Blood Centre at the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) in Hanoi, Vietnam. The first part, which explores the history of NIHBT and blood supply management in Vietnam, can be viewed here.