[The Epoch Times, June 13, 2022](Reported by The Epoch Times reporter Chu Fangming in Toronto) This week is National Blood Donation Week. The Canadian Blood Service (CBS) said the decline in blood donors during the pandemic has led to a severe shortage of blood in blood banks.
Since March 2020, the number of blood donors has hit a 10-year low because of the pandemic, CBS said.
“Regular blood donations in Canada have declined by 31,000 since the outbreak began, adding to the pressure on blood banks,” said Rick Prinzen, chief supply chain officer and vice president of blood donor relations at CBS. He has donated blood many times during the year.”
CBS oversees stocks of blood and blood products within blood banks that are regularly transferred across the country to meet the needs of hospitals and patients.
Currently, approximately 400,000 Canadians donate blood on a regular basis. But blood banks have a shelf life of 1 year for frozen plasma, 42 days for red blood cells, and 5 days for platelets, so blood banks need more donors to ensure an adequate blood supply.
CBS hopes that from now on, National Blood Donor Week will help attract 100,000 new blood donors this year. However, summer is a low season for blood donation due to reasons such as people going on vacation. “Currently, due to the pandemic and restrictions over the past two years, we are unable to recruit new blood donors through on-site community events, which exacerbates the loss of blood donors.”
Although the blood supply of the blood bank has been reduced, the blood supply and demand have been balanced due to the large reduction in operations during the epidemic period. But as the outbreak slows and things return to normal, blood needs are increasing. ◇
Responsible editor: Wen Fang