Extra safety measures for Oxfordshire blood donor centres in place during coronavirus outbreak

NHS Blood UK is encouraging people to continue donating blood and keep their appointments at their local donor centres.
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You can still travel to donate blood at your nearest donor centre. Giving blood and platelets is essential to the NHS and vulnerable patients.

Bookings to donate blood can be made by calling 0300 123 23 23 or visiting the NHS Blood UK website through the following link: https://www.blood.co.uk/The Peoples Church in Horse Fair is the donor centre for Banbury.

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NHS Blood UK are also stopping all donors who are 70 years old or over from donating for the next three months.

An NHS Blood and Transplant spokesperson said: “We need people in Oxfordshire who are fit and healthy to keep donating as normal during the coronavirus outbreak.

"We've put extra safety measures in place and safety is always our number one priority. We’re now doing extra cleaning and this week we’ve started triaging everyone who arrives so only people with no risk factors can enter the donation area.

“A lot of people have called us asking if sessions are still going ahead. We need them to know that our sessions and donor centres are still open and that travel to a blood donation sessions is essential for the NHS.

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"Blood donation is a reason to do something amazing. Blood donation saves lives.”

Blood donation session hygieneBlood donation session hygiene
Blood donation session hygiene

“We’re asking donors in Oxfordshire to follow the latest advice on our website and app and the advice from the government. We’re regularly reviewing the situation and working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care, PHE, and the UK’s other blood donation services.

"Donations have dropped though our stock levels are currently still good because hospitals are cancelling routine operations. We need people to keep donating to make sure we can keep supplying the blood hospitals need in the coming weeks and months. Patients and doctors are relying on us to be there.”

There is a permanent blood donation centre in Oxford at John Radcliffe Hospital.

Coronavirus Infection

Blood donation triagingBlood donation triaging
Blood donation triaging
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NHS Blook UK has said the following about donating blood during the coronavirus outbreak:

Recovery from Coronavirus: We will accept you to donate if you are well and free of fever and respiratory symptoms. A cough may persist for several weeks in some people, despite the coronavirus infection having cleared, but this won’t stop you donating if you are otherwise well.

If you have had Coronavirus Infection you must wait for 14 days from when your symptoms settled.

If you have been in contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus, you may donate as long as you have not been asked to isolate and you remain well. If you do donate it is very important you let us know if you develop symptoms of coronavirus at a later date.

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If you are/have been in self-isolation or household isolation you must wait 14 days from the first day of isolation and 14 days from when your symptoms settle.

If you develop any symptoms of Coronavirus infection after donating, please contact us to let us know

We don’t need to assess your travel history for Coronavirus risk, but recent travel may mean you are unable to donate due to other travel restrictions.

Key Frequently asked questions:

Do you need urgent donations now?

We need regular donations. We need people to keep donating as normal. That will help us to maintain stocks at good levels in the weeks and months ahead. COVID19 transmission could go on for many months.

What are your stock levels?

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They are good, at more than six days, which is a normal level. But we need people to keep donating to keep them that way.

Can you get coronavirus through blood donation?

There is no evidence of any type of coronavirus being transmitted through blood donation. There is no requirement to test for SARS-CoV-2. Coronaviruses are a family of viruses.

Should I attend as government announce strict measures on social distancing?

Yes you should attend. We can confirm that giving blood is a medical need and a form of helping vulnerable people. It is essential to patients and the NHS. Please keep donating.

Can I bring people with me when I donate?

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Please help make donation safer by coming to donate alone. We understand that some people will have childcare responsibilities, but at this time we ask that children only accompany parents when there is no other option and you and your child are both well.

What are you doing about social distancing between donors?

We’ve asked all our blood donation teams to spread out our waiting room chairs and donation chairs as much as each venue will allow. This will vary between each location. At some venues the space is limited and we ask our donors to bear with us while we explore our options. We are trying to respond to the quickly changing situation while also continuing to collect all the blood hospitals need. We are keeping all safety measures under constant review and may make further changes in the future.

What about big queues at the triaging stand?

If there is a queue or not much room to wait to be triaged, our teams can ask donors to wait nearby and call them when we are ready for their appointment. We are keeping all safety measures under constant review and may make further changes in the future.

What precautions are being used at session?

Our teams are trained in thorough universal hygiene precautions to prevent the spread of all infections. These include regular handwashing, wiping down donor-touched areas, using sterile collection sets for every donation, and preparing the arm with an aseptic cleanser. We have handwashing stations and handgels on session, with supporting posters. We’re constantly reviewing the latest information and putting in place measures where needed. Safety is always our number one priority

Are you asking staff to wear facemasks?

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Public Health England does not currently recommend the use of surgical masks in environments such as blood donation. We recognise staff use of surgical masks could reassure some donors. We are keeping all safety measures under constant review and may make further changes in the future. We would need to balance any changes against the need to ensure stocks of surgical masks are prioritised for front line use in clinical settings, where this a proven benefit to their use. By triaging all donors on arrival, we are reducing the risk of symptomatic individuals entering the session environment.

Over 70 year old donors

Can I still donate if I am 70 or over due to coronavirus situation? The government advises that everyone over the age of 70 should protect themselves by self-isolating. Following these guidelines, we are stopping all donors who are 70 years or over from donating for the next three months. This is for your protection. We know this will be frustrating for many donors.

Will I be turned away from session if I try to donate? If you turn up to a donor centre or session to give blood we will ask you to return home.

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