key: cord-0852706-fo1da1ze authors: Mesquita, João R.; Barradas, Patrícia; Gomes da Silva, Priscilla; Ferreira, Ana Sofia; Silva, Eliane; Matas, Isabel M.; Thomson, Gertrude; Amorim, Irina; Duarte, Raquel; Gomes, Helena Cruz; Monteiro, Álvaro; Nascimento, Maria São José title: SARS‐CoV‐2 and blood donations in Portugal, June–July 2020 date: 2021-09-27 journal: J Med Virol DOI: 10.1002/jmv.27353 sha: fc1986170d2fed8623bb00c2e3048625f104bae7 doc_id: 852706 cord_uid: fo1da1ze nan To the Editor, More than a year has passed since the emergence and worldwide spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2); the new coronavirus belonging to the Betacoronavirus genus 1-4 has caused more than three million confirmed deaths up until June 2021. 3 Although most patients infected with COVID-19 develop only mild to moderate symptoms, some remain asymptomatic during infection without any clinical symptoms and signs. 5 However, despite showing no clinical signs of disease, asymptomatic patients can still be a potential source of SARS-CoV-2 in droplets and aerosols. Therefore, they could be missed by detection strategies, posing a threat to infection control and making it difficult to accurately estimate the spread of the virus among the population. 6 Respiratory viruses are known not to be transmitted by blood transfusion, and to date, there have been no reported cases of transfusion-transmitted SARS-CoV-2 worldwide. 7, 8 Despite this, a few studies have reported SARS-CoV-2 RNA in blood donors. [9] [10] [11] Similarly, SARS-CoV and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) RNA have been detected in plasma and serum of infected patients, 12,13 but transfusion transmission has not also been reported. 8, 14 In this context, the present work aimed to during blood donation, and maintaining a robust blood supply for ongoing transfusion needs and related business continuity imperatives. 17 Also, the World Health Organization's current guidelines regarding blood donation do not recommend the screening for SARS-CoV-19 RNA and instead, the focus is given to minimizing transmission of SARS-CoV-19 to donors and staff during blood donation. 8 In conclusion, albeit the absence of viremia in blood donations in Portugal, the present study reports blood donors positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM at the time of the donation. Further studies are needed to assess the occupational exposure of blood bank workers to asymptomatic COVID-19 blood donors. COVID-19) and the Virus That Causes it The species severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus: classifying 2019-nCoV and naming it SARS-CoV-2 WHO. Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic. Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak Situation. Accessed WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic Estimating the extent of asymptomatic COVID-19 and its potential for community transmission: systematic review and meta-analysis Proportion of asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019: a systematic review and meta-analysis Updated Information for Blood Establishments Regarding the COVID-19 Pandemic and Blood Donation. Vaccines Maintaining a safe and adequate blood supply during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and on the collection of COVID-19 convalescent plasma: interim guidance Testing for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in presymptomatic blood donors SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia in a healthy blood donor 40 days after respiratory illness resolution No evidence of SARS-CoV-2 transfusion transmission despite RNA detection in blood donors showing symptoms after donation Viral RNA in blood as indicator of severe outcome in Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection Detection of SARS coronavirus in plasma by real-time RT-PCR Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2: implications for blood safety and sufficiency Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 rna detected in blood donations Is SARS-CoV-2 transfusion transmitted? Transfusion COVID-19) and Supply of Substances of Human Origin in EU/EEA-Second Update The authors would like to acknowledge Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) for funding of the project, "SARSBLOODsafe -SARS-CoV-2 and blood donation safety in Portugal: a shift to screening?"