On Monday, the American Red Cross announced that it is in the midst of an emergency blood shortage. In June, the American Red Cross declared in a press release, the blood supply fell nearly 25%. While the Red Cross anticipates a shortage in blood during the summer months — usually because of increased injury and being unable to hold school blood drives — this has been the lowest blood supply the Red Cross has had during these months since 2015, said Nate Russell, the regional communications manager at the American Red Cross. According to Russell, blood has a shelf life, and ...