Yes, there is a helium shortage, and it will affect more than just balloons
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2020/nasa-sounding-rocket-finds-helium-structures-in-sun-s-atmosphere
https://www.qualitymag.com/articles/96176-supply-demand-and-cost-dont-let-that-helium-just-drift-away-at-the-end-of-a-leak-test
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022311500003755
http://cds.cern.ch/record/2725900?ln=en
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00268976.2020.1802525?journalCode=tmph20