Abstract: Objective To learn the change of platelet collection and supply capacity of prefecture-level blood stations in China during the COVID-19 epidemic, and to provide reference for prefecture-level blood stations to ensure the supply of platelets when dealing with public emergencies. Methods The data from 2018 to 2021 were obtained from 27 prefecture-level blood stations who were the members of the practice comparison network for blood institutes in China. The number of active apheresis blood donors, the total apheresis platelet collection, the percentage of apheresis platelets donated by first-time donors to all donors, the leukocyte removal rate before apheresis platelet storage, apheresis platelet supply, the percentage of apheresis platelet supply to total platelet supply, and the total number of expired apheresis platelets were collected. The statistical year was divided into two periods: before the outbreak (2018-2019) and during the epidemic (2020-2021), and the statistical differences of platelet collection data before and after the epidemic were compared by SPSS software T-test. Results Before and after the outbreak of the epidemic in 27 prefecture-level blood stations, the total number of platelet-collecting active blood donors was 73,866 and 89,021 respectively, and the number of apheresis platelets was 438 573.4 U and 527 174.2 U, the total distribution amount of apheresis platelets was 425 799 U and 515 451.5 respectively, with significant differences. Before and after the outbreak of the epidemic, the average percentage of apheresis platelets donated by the first blood donors was 4.68% and 5.37%, respectively. Except for one blood station, the leukocyte removal rate of apheresis platelets in other 26 blood stations before storage ranged from 55.06% to 100%, and the percentage of apheresis platelets in total supply ranged from 91.48% to 100%. There are 12 blood stations with expired apheresis platelets, and the expired apheresis platelets in the outbreak period and the epidemic period are 24 U and 53 U, respectively. 12 blood stations had expired apheresis platelets, and the apheresis platelets expired during the outbreak and epidemic period were 24U and 53U, respectively. There is no significant difference between before and after the outbreak. Conclusion The epidemic situation in COVID-19 has no lasting adverse effects on the recruitment, collection and supply of platelet donors in prefecture-level blood stations in China, and blood stations constantly adjusted emergency measures to ensure the supply of platelets.

Key words: COVID-19 epidemic, Blood station, Platelet donor, Apheresis platelet collection and supply