Call for youth to donate blood before vaccination

There is restriction in donating blood for 28 days after vaccination.

With blood banks likely to face shortage of donors for about three months as those aged 18 and above will undergo vaccination for COVID-19 from May 1, there has been a call from the blood banks from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi to prospective donors to donate blood and then go for vaccination. In a release, Avinash Shetty, Medical Superintendent of Kasturba Hospital Manipal, said as per the guidelines there is restriction in donating blood for 28 days after vaccination. As most of the blood donors are in the age group between 18 and 40, they cannot donate blood for about three months from two doses of vaccination. This was likely to result in shortage of blood, which may lead to postponing of emergency surgeries. Dr. Shetty requested donors to donate blood to the Blood Bank of Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, two days before going for vaccination. ‘‘If there are more than 10 donors, we will arrange vehicle for pick-up and drop,’’ he said.