Česky
The transfusion department of the hospital in Hořovice in the Beroun region is the largest collection centre in the Central Bohemia Region, but it is also one of the largest in the Czech Republic. Normally, over 12,000 donors come there every year. Now, of course, it is less. The reason for this is stricter conditions for donors during the coronavirus pandemic, partly due to their fear of visiting health care facilities.
"In recent days, we have recorded about 65 to 70 percent of donors compared to previous months," said Jana Šrámková, head nurse of the Horovice hospital's transfusion department.
Twenty-two and enough!
As in other blood donation sites in the region, Hořovice has set clear conditions for blood donors. "No one needs to worry. As soon as they enter the waiting room, they are given a short questionnaire to fill out and we take their temperature. Of course, we rely on their seriousness in answering. Before that, they have to wash their hands and treat them with disinfectant. Previously, they used it only when entering the collection box," the head nurse described the procedure before the actual blood donation. The maximum number of donors that can access the ward at any one time is 22, so that there are no more than 30 people there with the medical staff.
Only those who have not had symptoms of respiratory illness, cough, shortness of breath, muscle pain, dizziness, migraine, indigestion or fever in the last fortnight can donate blood. It is also not allowed for those who have been abroad in the last two weeks or have come into contact with a person positive for coronavirus. "So far, we have not had to refuse any donors for these reasons. They usually know in advance and those who don't meet any of the conditions don't come now," Šrámková noted.
The department now does not invite donors, with some exceptions, such as those with rarer blood types. In Hořovice, everything is now left to volunteers. The head nurse is pleasantly surprised that practically every day a first-time donor comes.
There is plenty of blood
The Hořovice blood transfusion department also places more emphasis on the safety of the medical staff, who use mouthguards, protective gloves, gowns and goggles. Blood supplies for chronically ill patients, labour wards or acute operations are still sufficient in Hořovice, from where they supply mainly the Berounsko region, but blood is still needed even in times of cancellation of planned operations. Petr Šrámek, head of the transfusion and haematology department at the Rudolf and Stefanie Hospital in Benešov, also confirmed that there is now enough blood in this part of Central Bohemia. However, the longer-term demand is, as elsewhere, mainly for the rarer Rh-negative group. "Fortunately, we are getting enough willing donors, although we are experiencing a decline of about one-third. However, due to the postponement of planned surgical procedures, the demand for blood is now also lower," said the chief.
As in Hořovice, Kladno and other places in the region, donors in Benešov also fill out a questionnaire before donation. The transfusion department there is pre-booked, which allows it to respond flexibly to the current demand for specific blood groups. However, this is not related to the coronavirus pandemic, but to the recent computer attack by a hacker on the IT network of this health facility, after which this system was introduced.
The Masaryk Hospital in Rakovník also accepts blood donors twice a month on designated days. According to laboratory technician Martina Choleva, they have seen a higher interest from first-time donors in recent days. The Rakovník hospital has long cooperated closely with the Regional Hospital in Kladno in the supply of canned blood.
30%
The number of blood donors in the region has dropped by that much in recent days.
First-time donors are coming forward The transfusion wards of Central Bohemian hospitals are visited during the pandemic by people who have decided to donate blood for the first time in their lives and thus help those in need. It is a great show of solidarity. But the time when it was possible to donate without a veil is over.
Robert Božovský, MF DNES, 6 April 2020
