Blood drive participation is down, but it may not have to be.

In an e-mail, Abby Hausmann, mobile marketing specialist for the Blood Center of Iowa, said numbers for the ISU blood drive are down from last fall’s drive. She wrote this may be because many students who went on trips over break might think they are ineligible to give blood. Although some international destinations do disqualify individuals from donating blood, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Montego Bay, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, Negril, The Bahamas and Puerto Rico are all approved locations. The blood drive lasts until Thursday and donations will be taken from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.