The Canadian Blood Services has a lower than normal inventory of blood due to the approaching summer and new regulations imposed because of the Zika virus.
To make up for the dip in donations, Canadian Blood Services have set a goal of 4,800 donations in Ottawa by July.
The organization often sees a dip in inventory around the summer for a variety of reasons, said Tracy Smith, director of donor relations for Canadian Blood Services.
“When people’s routines get upset by the change in season we see less donors coming out, and often it means more people booking than cancelling their appointments,” she said.
But this year is particularly low. One of the reasons is new regulations imposed to protect recipients of donated blood from the Zika virus.
The Canadian Blood Services has seen a 1.1 per cent decline in donors because of the new regulations implemented in February. The rare blanket regulation requires people to wait three weeks after they’ve traveled anywhere outside of Canada, the U.S. or Europe before donating.
“It might not seem significant, but when you’re talking about an average for a national service, it really is,” said Smith.
Smith stressed though that there is a constant need for donations, especially Type O blood.
Upcoming blood donor clinics in Ottawa include:
- Ottawa Blood Donor Clinic, 1575 Carling Avenue:
- Mondays, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Wednesdays, 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Constitution Square, 350 Albert Street (second floor), Wednesday, April 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Tudor Hall, 3750 North Bowesville Road, Wednesday, May 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Dar Assunnah Mosque, 1216 Hunt Club Road, Thursday, May 5 from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
L’Esplanade Laurier (main foyer), 300 Laurier Avenue West, Friday, May 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
City of Ottawa, 110 Laurier Avenue West – Jean Pigott Hall, Monday, May 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
