Dr Quaglietta, MD, Department of Haematolgy and Oncology, Center of Transfusion Medicine, Pescara General Hospital and colleagues discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on blood centres in Italy. The pandemic led to substantial reductions in donation rates. During the first wave, the significant demand for blood for COVID-19 positive patients could only be satisfied because other hospital wards reduced their activities. Now, as specialised structures are being set up for COVID-19 patients and hospitals resume their activities, dramatic shortages of transfusion products are to be expected. The requests for transfusions for COVID-19 patients would add to the usual hospital needs. The article concludes that shortages could be partially avoided by increasing the stocks of frozen blood cells, optimizing patient blood management, and intensifying donor awareness campaigns. Find the full paper here.