Blood supply management in times of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic - challenges, strategies adopted, and the lessons learned from the experience of a hospital-based blood centre.

A buffer stock of blood and blood components, strict adherence to the transfusion triggers, good coordination with the clinical staff and a prospective review of blood transfusion requests to ensure rational blood transfusion were some of the steps which helped us to successfully maintain transfusion requirements in the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Use of first-in-first-out policy prevented any wastage due to outdating of blood.