Citing the pandemic as a leading factor, officials with Canada’s blood agency say they are in dire need of donations.
This is National Blood Donor week, and Canadian Blood Services says the number of donors has plummeted during the pandemic to its lowest point in a decade with 100,000 people needed to donate by the end of the year in order to meet the need.
“The number of people across Canada who donate regularly has decreased by 31,000 donors since the start of the pandemic, which has put a strain on the existing donor community,” said Rick Prinzen, Canadian Blood Services’ chief supply chain officer and vice-president of donor relations. “Right now, we have compounded losses in donors due to COVID-19 and not having the ability to recruit new donors at in-person community events because of restrictions over the past two years.”
A blood donor clinic is being held in Wallaceburg until 7pm today at the UAW Hall on Elm Drive.
Other upcoming clinics around Chatham-Kent include Tilbury on June 22nd, Blenheim on the 28th, and Chatham on the 29th.
Appointments can be booked online at blood.ca or through the Give Blood app.
