With the emergence and spread of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2, numerous blood drives were suspended, raising concerns from late February 2020 about a potential decline in volunteer blood donors across Japan. This study aims to examine how whole blood donation, production, and inventory control of red blood cell (RBC) units at the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) changed during this period. It further evaluates how the pandemic influenced blood collection activities and the delivery of RBC products to healthcare facilities requiring transfusion support. Because RBC units are the most commonly used transfusion components and their availability rapidly reflects shifts in donor activity during COVID-19, they were selected as the primary focus. Data provided by the JRCS from January 2020 through August 2021 were reviewed, covering whole blood collection volumes, RBC production data, inventory adjustments, and distribution to medical centers. Although some variation occurred after January 2020, overall estimates of collected whole blood, produced RBC units, stock levels, and supply to hospitals remained generally steady. Factors that likely contributed include the cooperation of registered repeat donors, accurate forecasting of supply needs by JRCS, donor recruitment aligned with these projections, timely redistribution of units among block centers, and the presence of an established and reliable supply framework. Consequently, even amid the pandemic, RBC inventories were sustained at levels that allowed uninterrupted clinical care.
