The American Red Cross is urging healthy donors to give blood as it grapples with a supply shortage exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. “There’s always a shortage of blood, but [the pandemic] just heightened what we need now,” Cornell Foster, a mobile operator for the American Red Cross, told The Epoch Times. “The hospitals still need to run, and they still need blood, so it’s always going to be a shortage.” Foster was speaking during a Jan. 14 blood drive at the Costa Mesa Senior Center, where donators arrived for their scheduled appointments and received a temperature check, in compliance with COVID safety protocols, prior to entering the main room. Before giving blood, donors were assessed for eligibility and received a brief physical exam. While blood is not necessarily given out more during COVID-19, the shortage arose due to the nature of the pandemic, which encouraged people to remain home as much as possible. With many people staying inside, there has been a decrease in donations to organizations …