Common coronaviruses cause colds and respiratory tract infections but are not considered a risk for transfusion recipients. Since 2002 there have been outbreaks in humans of new strains of coronavirus, associated with severe pulmonary infections and mortality rates of 10-35% e.g. SARS and MERS.
COVID-19 is an illness caused by infection with SARS-CoV-2, a new coronavirus first identified in 2019. The guidance within this entry is focussed on COVID-19. Donors who report MERS or SARS, or contact with these infections, should be referred to a DCSO.
Many respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, share common symptoms. As routine testing for SARS-CoV-2 infection is no longer recommended, most individuals will not have test results to confirm or exclude COVID-19. Where COVID-19 testing is not being undertaken, assessing donors using the Infection – Acute entry ensures that individuals are deferred for the appropriate time based on their symptoms.
Individuals affected by COVID-19 may experience longer term symptoms. Post-Covid Syndrome (PCS), which may also be known as Long Covid, is recognised in individuals who have persistent symptoms for 12 weeks or more. PCS is a multisystem disease; common symptoms include fatigue, breathlessness and ‘brain fog’. Affected individuals may also experience cardiac, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms. As PCS may follow a relapsing course, it is important individuals have fully recovered before being accepted to donate.
COVID-19 vaccines are non-live and as such do not pose a transfusion safety risk. A 48-hour deferral after immunisation is recommended to reduce the risk of a donation being discarded if a vaccine recipient develops symptoms directly related to the vaccine after donation.
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