April 8 - Updates on COVID-19

CAMPUS UPDATES

Face Masks

For those of you who are considered essential on-campus employees, thank you for your dedication during this extraordinary time. You may have seen the recent guidance from both the California Department of Health and the Orange County Health Care Agency. Both organizations recommend face coverings for individuals who must leave their homes to perform essential activities, such as work. This guidance is only for those who feel comfortable wearing face coverings and is not a requirement.

COVID-19 Infographics in Spanish

The creative services team has made available the COVID-19 infographics in Spanish. (File will automatically download upon clicking.) They are also available on UCI’s coronavirus web resource page.

We want your photos!

Help us chronicle this moment in history. The pandemic has affected us all, and we want to see your experiences. Everyone (students, staff, faculty, alumni and medical center personnel) is encouraged to submit photos of your “new” daily life. We want to see it all: students learning remotely, virtual teaching (pets and children included), Zoom shots, virtual research, rounds at the medical center, PPE drives, surge tents, boxed lunches, moving home, working from home, innovators innovating and more. Your photos need not be extraordinary, they need only capture the everyday moments during the pandemic.

CAMPUS RESOURCES

HR Offers Webinars to Help Support Transitions To Virtual Work Environments

Human Resources invites UCI leaders and teams to join Mind Gym for upcoming webinars to help support current work environments. Mind Gym is a global provider of organizational improvement solutions using the latest psychology and behavioral science to transform how people think, feel and behave. Full webinar descriptions and login instructions are available on the wellness website.

How Coronavirus is Transforming Work and What You Can Do About It
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
11 a.m.
No Registration Needed
Click here to access webinar

Making Virtual Work
Thursday, April 9, 2020
11 a.m.
No Registration Needed
Click here to access webinar

UCIMC UPDATES

Drive Up Testing

Last month, UCI Health began drive-thru testing to accommodate high-risk patients. With the growing community transmission of COVID-19 in Orange County and nationally, we wanted to ensure those patients were tested without having to visit the medical center. Since then, UCI Health has made significant progress in testing that population: administering more than 300 tests at the Gottschalk Medical Plaza and the 200 Manchester Building.

UC UPDATES

Zoom Best Practices: Joint Statement of the UC Location CIOs

Please review the UC system-wide statement addressing Zoom security and privacy concerns that was recently published on behalf of the system CIOs and CISOs.

COMMUNITY UPDATES AND NEWS

World Health Day

World Health Day this year is dedicated to nurses and midwives, and rightly so. Our gratitude for our nurses and nurse practitioners is immeasurable during these uncertain times. Every day, they are on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis, testing patients, calming fears and working tirelessly to help our community. We are in awe of your bravery and dedication. This World Health Day, and every day, we are grateful for you. Thank you for all you have done.

Property Tax Deadline is Friday, April 10

State law governs when property taxes are due and payable, and Treasurer-Tax Collector (Treasurer) is not authorized to change the April 10 deadline. It is suggested that you “Stay Home, Stay Safe and Pay Online” using the no cost eCheck (bank account) payment option that provides same day credit and an emailed or printed receipt at ocgov.com/octaxbill, and is secure once you get to the third party payment page.

Other 24/7 ways to make timely payment by midnight on April 10:

Online: ocgov.com/octaxbill by credit/debit card (2.29 percent service fee)
IVR: 714 834-3411 by credit/debit card (2.29 percent service fee)
Dropbox: 601 N. Ross St. (with adjacent parking) by check, money order, cashier’s check, (no cash)

Penalty Cancellation Requests can be filed after April 10.
After April 10, if the taxpayer is a homeowner, small business or other property owner with significant demonstrated economic hardship due to COVID-19 or believe that they qualify for one of the other limited exceptions and can’t pay by April 10, then as soon as the taxpayer is able to pay, they should request a Penalty Cancellation.

White House Launches COVID-19 Computing Consortium

The White House has launched the new COVID-19 High Performance Computing Consortium to assist global research through a public-private partnership, which involves the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Disney Parks Post COVID-19 Quarantine

Disney executive chairman Bob Iger discussed how security precautions at Disney theme parks could change after the coronavirus crisis. Disneyland could institute temperature screenings at security checkpoints in order to meet health guidelines and make visitors feel safe.

Education groups seek billions in additional coronavirus relief

A coalition of groups, including the Association of American Universities, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and the American Council on Education, has proposed $46.6 billion in additional funding for colleges and students.

How to spot fake Coronavirus news on Social Media

Here are some steps you can take to verify information on social media before you share it.

California Secured Monthly Supply of 200 Million N95 & Surgical Masks

Gavin Newsom said yesterday that California has secured a monthly supply of 200 million N95 respiratory and surgical masks to help protect healthcare workers, and other essential workers, on the front lines battling coronavirus.

2 Million Californians Filed for Jobless Benefits

Governor Newsom said that more than 2 million Californians have filed for jobless benefits. The state is ‘scrambling’ to get newly out-of-work residents the unemployment benefits enabled by the federal CARES Act to help ease the economic burden caused by coronavirus.

When Will Social Distancing Be Relaxed?

White House officials said they are looking into certain areas in the United States where mitigation efforts have worked in slowing the spread of the virus, to determine if the social distancing orders could be relaxed by the end of April. Of note, Dr. Deborah Birx said, “We’re doing a series of clear investigations of what happened in Washington and L.A. and what does that mean and how you keep the number of cases down.”

Governor Newsom Expands Support for Vulnerable Populations

Governor Newsom signed an order that provides additional support for older adults and vulnerable young children. This order allows for a 60-day waiver for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) caseworkers to continue work and care for older adults, and individuals with disabilities.