The COVID-19 pandemic has major implications for blood transfusion. There are uncertain
patterns of demand, and transfusion institutions need to plan for reductions in donations and
loss of crucial staff because of sickness and public health restrictions. We systematically
searched for relevant studies addressing the transfusion chain—from donor, through
collection and processing, to patients—to provide a synthesis of the published literature and
guidance during times of potential or actual shortage. A reduction in donor numbers has …