Bengaluru: Even as the ongoing Covid pandemic has had a negative impact on blood banks due to a lack of donors, a recent order by the National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) may complicate the problem. According to the NBTC, blood can only be donated 28 days after an individual has received the Covid vaccine.
The requirement has been finalized, according to the order signed by NBTC Director Sunil Gupta and dated March 5 “Deferral for 28 days after the last dose of Covid vaccination, regardless of the form of vaccine obtained. The time of deferral can be checked as needed.”
As a result, the donor must wait 28 days after receiving the second dose of the vaccine, essentially preventing him from donating for 56 days in total. The Lions Club of Bangalore Sanjay Nagar wrote to the Council on March 13 expressing “grave concern,” as this would result in a significant shortage of donors, particularly when vaccination is made available to those under 45 years old.
“All vaccines have a waiting period of two weeks to a month when blood cannot be donated,” doctors informed.
