Blood donor recruitment in Guangzhou, China, during the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic affected blood collection in Guangzhou, China. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This paper includes three studies. The observational study reported the trends of blood collection during the epidemic in Guangzhou, China. The cross-sectional survey investigated factors influencing blood donation during the COVID-19 epidemic, and a self-administered questionnaire was given to 1584 street whole blood donors (SWBDs) who donated during the epidemic. The randomized controlled trial involved 19 491 SWBDs who donated in 2019 but did not donate during the epidemic. Trial participants were randomly assigned to two intervention groups: Group 1 completed Questionnaire 1, which contained precautionary measures in response to COVID-19 and other messages about blood donation during the epidemic; Group 2 completed Questionnaire 2, which did not include this information. A control group did not receive any questionnaire. RESULTS: As measures were implemented, the number of blood donors increased accordingly. Both first-time and repeat SWBDs perceived the same level of blood need and donated blood because it would save lives. SWBDs who completed Questionnaire 1 expressed a greater intention to donate during the epidemic. Enabling blood donors to perceive a higher level of blood need and a lower level of COVID-19 infection risk related to blood donation mobilized experienced SWBDs to donate within 3 weeks. Intention-to-treat analyses and average-treatment-effect-on-the-treated estimations confirmed that Questionnaire 1 could motivate SWBDs to actually donate blood. CONCLUSION: Various measures could ease blood shortage during the COVID-19 epidemic. Administration of Questionnaire 1 could increase blood donations during the epidemic.

An analysis of spatiotemporal pattern for COIVD-19 in China based on space-time cube.

This study seeks to examine and analyze the spatial and temporal patterns of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreaks and identify the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and changing trends of cases. Hence, local outlier analysis and emerging spatiotemporal hot spot analysis were performed to analyze the spatiotemporal clustering pattern and cold/hot spot trends of COVID-19 cases based on space-time cube during the period from 23 January 2020 to 24 February 2020. The main findings are as follows: (1) The outbreak had spread rapidly throughout the country within a short time and the current totality incidence rate has decreased. (2) The spatiotemporal distribution of cases was uneven. In terms of the spatiotemporal clustering pattern, Wuhan and Shiyan city were the center as both cities had high-high clustering pattern with a surrounding unstable multiple-type pattern in partial areas of Henan, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Hunan provinces, and Chongqing city. Those regions are continuously in the hot spot on the spatiotemporal tendency. (3) The spatiotemporal analysis technology based on the space-time cube can analyze comprehensively the spatiotemporal pattern of epidemiological data and produce a visual output of the consequences, which can reflect intuitively the distribution and trend of data in space-time. Therefore, the Chinese government should strengthen the prevention and control efforts in a targeted manner to cope with a highly changeable situation.