Dropped mask mandate at Canadian Blood Services results in appointment cancellations

A day after Canadian Blood Services (CBS) announced it would be dropping its masking requirement, one New Westminster resident wants to know why the change was made.

On Monday, CBS tweeted it would no longer require donors to wear masks during blood drive events.

“Although not required, masks help curb the spread of COVID-19 and are welcome in our environments and available to anyone who chooses to wear them,” the CBS tweet reads.

Kevin Schwantje, a New West Anchor subscriber, initially planned to give blood, but has since decided against it.

“I just cancelled my appointment because of their removal of masking/distancing,” he said in a tweet to New West Anchor. “It's completely insane and I will not put myself nor my loved ones at risk as a result of this.”

In a separate tweet, Schwantje added the move was bizarre, and he wanted to know why it was done.

“Who is this for? I highly doubt anti maskers were lining up to donate, and people who do donate were far more likely to care about the vulnerable and have no issue wearing a mask.”

Schwantje is not alone: Since CBS announced the change, hundreds of people across the country have replied to or quote-tweeted the announcement to say they didn’t want to donate without a mandatory mask policy in place.

New West Anchor was one of the recipients of a CBS release on Tuesday morning that outlined a desperate need for donors, something the organization has been vocal about in the last few months. The release, titled “Long weekend heroes needed in New Westminster to donate blood and plasma,” said there were 35 spots to be filled for the Anvil Centre event on Thursday, Aug. 18.

“In June we reported that during the pandemic the number of regular donors had decreased by 31,000, resulting in the smallest donor base in a decade,” the CBS release reads. “When we asked the public for their support, they responded and made a difference. June 2022 was the third-highest month for welcoming new donors since the start of the pandemic.”

New West Anchor reached out to CBS to let them know that at least one local had cancelled their appointment after Monday’s announcement, with one other person stating they felt discouraged by the change. New West Anchor was told a spokesperson was not available, and was instead provided with a statement.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, Canadian Blood Services' approach has been cautious and measured. All decisions have been made in consultation with our medical and epidemiology experts and, at minimum, meeting applicable public health requirements,” it reads, going on to call itself “a unique organization.”

“Although we provide life-saving products to hospitals, we are not a hospital or health-care setting.”

CBS says it’s watched restrictions being eased in other community venues, because most Canadians are vaccinated against COVID-19. “Illness now caused by COVID-19 is far less severe in most cases.”

The group says it will make sure surgical masks and N95s are available to staff, volunteers, visitors and donors, and that it will continue to look at the measures needed at events.