People can get antibodies tests for COVID-19 at an upcoming blood drive in Tysons.

The Boro is hosting the American Cross blood drive, and donors will be able to get the antibody tests, which can indicate if donors have previously been infected by the virus.

More from the press release:

This will be an essential part of the life-saving network connecting donors to those in need of blood, platelets and plasma. There is an urgent need for blood donations right now to meet the needs of patients in hospitals as surgical procedures and treatments that were temporarily paused due to the pandemic resume again.

The American Red Cross is also currently testing all blood, platelet, and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies for a limited time and donors will receive the free results of their antibody test within 7-10 days through the Red Cross Blood Donor App or by logging in to the donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org.

The blood drive is scheduled to take place from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22, at Boro Station (1775 Greensboro Station Place). Donors, who must make appointments online, can expect social distancing in the conference center.

“Appointments allow the American Red Cross to exercise hygienic practices and provide donor services,” the press release said.

The Tysons area will have three blood drives this month via a partnership with local volunteer fire departments and Inova Blood Donor Services.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue announced today (Tuesday) four upcoming blood drives that will take place in the parking lots of the fire stations.

“Due to current events, blood supplies in Fairfax County and the nation are at dangerously low levels and dropping,” according to the fire department.

Here are the Tysons-area ones:

• Thursday (June 18) noon-6 p.m. at Station 13 in Dunn Loring (2148 Gallows Road)
• Wednesday (June 24) 1-7 p.m. at Station 1 in McLean (1455 Laughlin Ave)
• Thursday (June 25) 1-7 p.m. at Station 2 in Vienna (400 Center Street S.)

There will also be a blood drive at Station 5 (6300 Beulah Street) in Alexandria on Thursday (June 18) from 1-7 p.m. People can register on the Inova Blood Donor Services website.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue noted how the blood drives will address safety concerns with COVID-19.

“There will be plenty of space to spread out and use appropriate social distancing,” the post said. “To help protect our firefighters and paramedics, access to the fire station is prohibited.”

Photo via Facebook

(Updated at 3:15 p.m.) Local volunteer fire and rescue departments have teamed up with Inova Blood Donor Services to hold blood drives.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue said that the blood drives will help boost blood supplies, which are “at dangerously low levels and dropping” in the county and U.S.

“Inova Blood Donor Services is taking all precautions as it relates to COVID-19,” according to the post. “There will be plenty of space to spread out and use appropriate social distancing.”

The full list of locations is online. Below is the information for the Tysons-area blood drives:

• Thursday, March 26: 1-7 p.m. at McLean Volunteer Fire Department (1455 Laughlin Ave)
• Monday, March 30: 1-7 p.m. at Vienna Volunteer Fire Department (400 Center Street S.) all slots full
• Wednesday, April 22: noon-7 p.m. at Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department (2148 Gallows Road)

The blood drives will be held in the fire station parking lots. To lower the risk of spreading the virus to firefighters and paramedics, people won’t be able to access the fire stations.

We're practicing social distancing, but our @InovaBlood blood drive today and next week are 100% full! Thank you to the blood donors who are helping us and @InovaHealth save lives! pic.twitter.com/2RTcmDVc3o

— Vienna VFD (@ViennaVFD) March 25, 2020

Photo via Facebook

There’s been no shortage of places to donate blood, but Caboose Commons in Mosaic is offering a unique spin on the usual blood drive.

From Jan. 20-26, if you donate blood at one of the Inova Donor Centers, you can receive a voucher for a free beverage at Caboose Commons. This beverage can be in the form of coffee, tea or beer.

Donors must complete a screening process at one of the centers to be eligible for the giveaway.

This weekend also marks the debut of Peter Pan, a play presented by the Vienna Theatre Company. The production will run through Feb. 3, with 8 p.m. showings this weekend tonight and tomorrow. Tickets are $14.

Tomorrow (Jan. 19)

• Mosaic District Polar Plunge Festival (10 a.m.-3 p.m.) — A plunge into a frigid pool set up in Merrifield will help raise money for the Special Olympics. For $100, participants will take a dive into the cold water. Divers are requested to get decked out in their wildest costumes to claim the title of “best-dressed plunger.”
• Foster-Adoption Event at Pet Valu Rescue (12-3 p.m.) — For anyone in the market for a German Shepherd, the Shenandoah Shepherd Rescue will be hosting an adoption event at 3069 Nutley St. The Rescue organization takes in dogs from high-kill shelters in Texas and other states and finds them homes elsewhere. Volunteers will also be collecting shoes for the fundraiser, so bringing slightly worn shores to donate is encouraged.
• Antonelli San Marco Tasting (1-4 p.m.) — The McLean Wine Outlet at 6727 Curran St will briefly be transformed Central Italy tomorrow for a wine tasting. The drink of choice is Sagrantino from the village of Montefalco, which is said to have rich flavors of cherry and blackberry. The second event will be on Monday, from 1-2 p.m.

Sunday (Jan. 20)

• Parkinson’s Moving Day Event (12-1 p.m.) — Cycle Chi in Vienna (221 Mill St) is hosting two fundraisers for The Parkinson’s Foundation. A minimum donation of $25 per bicycle, per hour is requested with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the charity. The event will also include free chair massages, raffles, cocktails and more.
• Liner Notes (2 p.m.) — The recently renovated Alden Theatre at 1234 Ingleside Ave in McLean will host a musical mix of jazz and hip hop in a celebration of the civil rights movement. Tickets are $15 for McLean residents, $25 for adults and children, and $20 for seniors.

Photo via Facebook

One pint of donated blood can save up to three lives.

Even if you’re squeamish about needles, next Friday (Jan. 18) is a chance to overcome that fear and donate to the Inova Blood Drive.

From 10 a.m.-2 p.m., the Inova Blood Drive will be held at the Vienna Community Center at 120 Cherry Street SE.

For those who can’t make it out to the blood drive on Friday, the closest spot to donate is the Woodburn Donor Center at 3289 Woodburn Road.

Appointments can be made online or by calling 866-BLOODSAVES and using the sponsor code 1058.

Donors will receive a pair of “lifesaver” socks. This year’s sock is blue with white snowflakes that include various blood types.

Be sure to check the chart below to ensure that you’re eligible to donate:

Photo via Facebook

‘Fish Taco’ Coming to Boro in Tysons — “Fish Taco, a fast-casual Mexican restaurant with three locations in Maryland, plans to open its first Virginia store at the Boro development in Tysons… by June next year. A rep for Fish Taco tells Eater the new location in the mixed-use development will have space for 60 customers to consume taco platters, salads, rice bowls, burritos, and quesadillas — all utilizing local and seasonal ingredients.” [Eater]

Mall Hours for Black Friday — “Tysons Corner Center… will be open for 28 hours straight. This year, the mall opens at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 22 and will remain open Friday, Nov. 23 from midnight-10 p.m. Across Chain Bridge Road, Tysons Galleria will be closed on Thanksgiving. On Black Friday, hours will be 8 a.m.-9 p.m.” [Patch]

Dulles Toll Road Rates Going Up — “The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority board of directors voted Nov. 14 to increase rates on the toll road again, starting this coming January. Drivers of two-axle vehicles, who now pay $2.50 at the main toll plaza, will see that rate jump to $3.25, and those entering or exiting tolled ramps will pay $1.50, up  from the current $1.” [InsideNova]

Herndon Site Still in the Running for Apple — Though Apple is “seriously” looking at a site in Tysons for a large new East Coast office, the company is also eyeing some other locations, like the 26-acre, state-owned Center for Innovative Technology in Herndon and sites in Raleigh, N.C. and Atlanta, Georgia. [Washington Business Journal]

McLean Blood Drive Was a Success — “With the holiday season quickly approaching, hospitals are continuously using blood products faster than donations are replacing them. With an urgent blood drive, sponsored by McLean Dermatology and Skin Care Center, volunteers and staff aimed to reach a goal of getting 40 donors during this Sunday’s drive — in which the goal was met.” [WJLA]

Parks Dept. Riffs on Facebook Outage — A tweet this morning from Fairfax County Parks: “Facebook and Instagram are down. Seems like a great excuse to take a walk and enjoy some face-to-face conversation in a park.” [Twitter]