NEWS RELEASE
CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES
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Dear Collingwood Friends,
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian Blood Services is advising our dedicated donors who attend the blood donation event at the Collingwood Legion this Wednesday:
- The clinic target and the number of beds running have been reduced in order to comply with physical distancing requirements set out by Public Health Agency of Canada. As such, we can now accommodate fewer donors during this event.
- Please be advised that you may receive an automated message in the next 24-48 hours that your appointment has been deferred for this event as we are unable to manage our regular intake of donors. We are doing all that we can to continue the smooth and predictable operation of our collection events – ultimately leading to less time to donate – while maintaining the highest quality and safety standards.
- Please ensure you listen to your messages.
- Only those donors with appointments will be accepted into the site. No additional persons/non donors will be permitted entrance.
- It is important to arrive at your appointment time, not earlier, as we will not be able to take you at an earlier time.
- Please be prepared for additional screening at the door to the Legion before you are welcomed into the building.
- It is SAFE to donate blood during COVID19 – only healthy people are eligible to donate blood.
Please continue to give, and come visit us in Barrie
We have decided to expand the hours on Fridays and Saturdays for the next while at our Barrie donor centre – located at 231 Bayview Drive. Having a permanent donor centre nearby in Barrie will allow those area residents who are in good health an opportunity to continue to donate. Donors who’s appointments have been deferred in Collingwood are encouraged to book appointments at their convenience in Barrie in the weeks and months to come. To accommodate donors from Collingwood, over the next few weeks, we will be extending our normal hours on Fridays and Saturdays to 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. No one can predict how long the COVID19 pandemic will affect our ability to resume normal operations. If additional donation events need to be cancelled or moved to a different location, you would be contacted by Canadian Blood Services.
Please book in advance; no walk-in appointments available for now
Reminder: We will only be welcoming people with appointments to our donor centres and mobile events. This measure will enable us to minimize the number of people inside our facilities and pre-screen all who come through our doors through the pre-screening questionnaire provided when appointments are booked.
Spreading the word
Lastly, as we have seen since the start of this pandemic, social media seems to be the way most of us are learning of the latest news, and if there are changes to your community events in the upcoming weeks, social media will likely be an early method of communicating changes. You can follow @LifelineBarrie on twitter, or @BloodDonorsOfTheNorth on Instagram. Likes and shares are a wonderful way for you to help us spread our message. Thank you for your tremendous support of Canada’s lifeline! Please stay well.
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