{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,23]],"date-time":"2026-10-23T00:38:55Z","timestamp":1792715935742,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"Wiley","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,22]],"date-time":"2026-10-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1792627200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,22]],"date-time":"2026-10-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1792627200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Vox Sanguinis"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background and Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>National blood systems require a resilient mechanism for ensuring safe blood supply during pandemics. For small island developing states (SIDS) additional specific challenges exist not normally addressed in guidelines and the literature. Here we describe the model used by the Caribbean island of Cura\u00e7ao for pandemic preparedness during the COVID\u201019 pandemic.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Materials and Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Key measures taken by the Red Cross Blood bank Foundation Cura\u00e7ao during the COVID\u201019 pandemic were examined. National blood program data were analyzed retrospectively.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>For pandemic preparedness, critical main processes were adapted during the COVID\u201019 pandemic. These included individual donor time\u2010scheduled phlebotomy sessions and government\u2010authorized lockdown travel permits. Work procedures focusing on the prevention of simultaneous presence of personnel during shifts were introduced. Donor information was provided during governmental public health briefings. Patient blood management programs were adopted according to international recommendations in consultation with the blood bank. During the COVID\u201019 pandemic, characterized by four severe outbreaks over 2\u2009years, donor availability and donations were maintained with sufficient labile blood product supply to all hospitals served.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>For SIDS, effective small\u2010scale implementation of international recommendations on pandemics remains challenging. The national blood program preparedness model of Cura\u00e7ao proved to be successful during the COVID\u201019 pandemic, ensuring uninterrupted donor participation and sufficient labile blood product availability. Key success factors of the model were a voluntary, non\u2010remunerated, repetitive donor program, a central blood collection facility, acknowledgement of the blood bank as important in the public health pandemic response, and effective communication with donors, hospitals, and health authorities.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/vox.70403","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,22]],"date-time":"2026-10-22T23:59:31Z","timestamp":1792713571000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Ensuring a reliable blood supply during a pandemic in a Caribbean setting: The Cura\u00e7ao experience"],"prefix":"10.1111","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6368-8266","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ashley J.","family":"Duits","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Red Cross Blood Bank Foundation  Willemstad Cura\u00e7ao"},{"name":"Institute for Medical Education University Medical Center Groningen  Groningen the Netherlands"},{"name":"Cura\u00e7ao Biomedical &amp; Health Research Institute  Willemstad Cura\u00e7ao"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"L.","family":"Sill\u00e9","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Red Cross Blood Bank Foundation  Willemstad Cura\u00e7ao"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8487-0043","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Willem M.","family":"Smid","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sanquin Consulting Services and Academic Institute IDTM  Amsterdam the Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_9_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"793","DOI":"10.1111\/vox.70057","article-title":"An international survey on measures to prevent transfusion\u2010transmitted infectious diseases\u2010study results 1: participation rates and the presence of laws, regulations, standards and best practices","volume":"120","author":"Conti G","year":"2025","journal-title":"Vox Sang"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"570","DOI":"10.1111\/tme.13159","article-title":"COVID\u201019 pandemic impact on blood donations and discards from screening tests for transfusion\u2010transmitted infections in a Brazil Brazilian metropolitan area","volume":"35","author":"Santos LDS","year":"2025","journal-title":"Transfus Med"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"336","DOI":"10.1111\/trf.16798","article-title":"COVID\u201019 and the impact on blood availability and transfusion practices in low\u2010 and middle\u2010income countries","volume":"62","author":"Barnes LS","year":"2022","journal-title":"Transfusion"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"501","DOI":"10.1080\/17474086.2023.2209716","article-title":"Managing blood supplies during natural disasters, humanitarian emergencies, and pandemics: lessons learned from COVID\u201019","volume":"16","author":"Denakker TA","year":"2023","journal-title":"Expert Rev Hematol"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_6_1","volume-title":"Guidance on ensuring a sufficient supply of safe blood and blood components during emergencies","author":"WHO","year":"2023"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8","DOI":"10.1111\/vox.13378","article-title":"White paper on pandemic preparedness in the blood supply","volume":"118","author":"Strengers P","year":"2023","journal-title":"Vox Sang"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_8_1","unstructured":"Assembly UNG. 78\/317.The Antigua and Barbuda agenda for small island developing states: a renewed declaration for resilient prosperity; resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 16 July 2024; 2024. 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