There are concerns new, more stringent iron guidelines, aimed at improving the health of blood donors, may hamper blood donations across the country and that has prompted an appeal from Canadian Blood Services for more people to donate.
Canadian Blood Services will now require that female donors wait longer between blood donations while male donors will need to pass a slightly stricter hemoglobin test.
Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells and is necessary for carrying oxygen around the body. Iron is an essential element for producing hemoglobin.
READ MORE: Change in Canadian Blood Services guidelines means increased need for donors
Starting Dec. 10, female donors will need to wait 12 weeks between blood donations, replacing the current eight-week waiting period.
The minimum allowable hemoglobin level for male donors will increase from 125 grams per litre to 130 g/L, starting March 5 of next year.
Because of the changes, there are concerns that donors will not be able to donate as often.
It’s expected 100,000 new donors will be needed across the country this year alone. In Metro Vancouver, there is a need for 1,500 new blood donors within the next four weeks.
Metro Vancouver residents can donate blood at a mobile clinic event or at one of the following permanent clinic locations:
– Oak Street Blood Donor Clinic, 4750 Oak St., which is open Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
– Downtown Blood Donor Clinic, #200-888 Dunsmuir St., which is open Monday to Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
– Surrey Blood Donor Clinic, 15285 101 Ave., which is open Wednesday to Friday from 1 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
To book an appointment, use the Give Blood App or visit blood.ca.
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