How to maintain the integrity of the blood cold chain during the COVID-19 outbreak

With COVID-19 sweeping the globe, the need for a strong blood cold chain has intensified. On top of concerns regarding adequate blood supply, the world is looking at a rapid increase in serum-based antibody testing and use/research around convalescent plasma. While serological testing, also known as immunity tests, could help understand the extent of the pandemic, convalescent plasma and hyper immune globulin could help treat patients affected by SARS-CoV-2. This paper looks into the blood cold chain, sharing guidelines on the collection, storage and transport of the blood components involved in the fight against COVID-19.