The Food and Drug Administration announced on Thursday it would lift a series of restrictions on blood donation, as the need for blood grows due to the COVID-19 health emergency.

Groups like The American Red Cross have made urgent calls for additional blood and blood component donations in the wake of a nationwide shortage. Some advocates have argued that discriminatory policies are limiting the supply of potential donors, such as men who have sex with other men.

[Less than 10 percent of the N95 masks requested have been received by 5 states]

The FDA issued a series of recommendations on Thursday that would ease some of these restrictions, but some contend the policies do not go far enough.

The new guidelines would decrease a recommended deferral period from 12 months to three months for three categories of individuals that have a greater potential of transmitting HIV, according to the FDA.