NEW DELHI : The number of eligible blood donors in India is set to decline with the National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) considering an interim order to exclude “at-risk donors", or people who may have been in the risk of contracting covid-19.
The interim guidelines by NBTC, which operates under the ministry of health and family welfare, were rolled out as part of safety measures in view of the rapid spread of the virus.
It added that the move may, however, lead to a severe shortage of blood in the country. The government said that based on the history of exposure of blood donors to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, blood donors will be selected.