WASHINGTON — The Red Cross is putting out a call for people to roll their sleeves up and donate blood.

“We are not critical yet, but we’re getting close,” said Steve Mavica, the communications manager at the American Red Cross in the D.C.-Baltimore area.

While there is a national shortage of blood, the shortage in the D.C. area is actually worse, Mavica says.

The Red Cross has seen a 9 percent decrease in the number of people coming in compared to what was expected, Mavica says.

Negative blood types are especially short, but all blood types are needed.

Get locations, times and dates of Red Cross blood drives on its website.

Inova Blood Donor Services collects blood, too. Get more information about donating blood on its website.

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