May 18 - Updates on COVID-19

UCI UPDATES

UCI Health to test drug for critically ill COVID-19 patients

UCI Health is initiating a clinical study of a drug to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients who face a high mortality rate because of acute inflammation that fills their lungs with fluid, a grave condition that even mechanical ventilation cannot improve. Aviptadil, which has a 20-year history of use in human clinical trials for lung ailments, will be employed in a phase 2b/3 clinical study of COVID-19 patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome, a primary cause of coronavirus-induced death. UCI is among three sites to launch the Aviptadil clinical trial and the only one west of the Mississippi River.

UCI’s Program in Public Health opens public COVID-19 chatline

The Program in Public Health COVID-19 chatline is available now for general questions about COVID-19. The chatline is open to the public and is staffed Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST and Sat/Sun: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. PST. There is a Live Chat link to speak with a chatline operator to help answer your questions. If you wish to speak with an operator outside of these hours, you can leave an offline message and it will be answered as soon as the chatline opens for the day.

UCI COVID-19 NEWS AND STORIES

The hunt for undetected COVID-19 among healthcare staff

As researchers race to understand COVID-19, one group holds particular interest: asymptomatic healthcare workers on the front lines. The Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing is collaborating with the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry on a biomedical study that is examining undetected COVID-19 in UCI Health clinical staff. The effort also involves researchers from the Departments of Statistics and Population Health and Disease Prevention. It’s all part of an effort to understand the risk of COVID-19 infection and the immune response in front line healthcare workers who do not show symptoms of the disease.

Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center takes a focus on COVID-19

The UCI Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center has taken a focus on COVID-19 with education and research. In this round up, faculty share their expertise in a wide range of COVID-19 news stories; a virtual panel explores testing, clinical trials and the reopening of society; and a YouTube video describes how UCI researchers worked to create additional solution for test kits.

UCI Law Clinics continue to represent clients in need, virtually, during the COVID-19 pandemic

As the UCI Law campus went remote in response to the pandemic, UCI Law’s clinical faculty and students continued providing client representation and responding to emergent needs. Despite having to work remotely, UCI Law clinic students have maintained communication with their clients and supervisors. They have been effectively collaborating and working quickly and creatively to ensure clients suffer no interruption in representation, while using the law to respond to legal needs presented by this global pandemic.

5 Tips on Pitching Your Startup Virtually

UCI Beall Applied Innovation offers 5 Tips on Pitching Your Startup Virtually as part of its Collection of Stories from Inside the OC Innovation Ecosystem.

UCI COVID-19 VIRTUAL EVENTS

OCBC Chairman’s Leadership Breakfast featuring Chancellor Gillman

The Orange County Business Council (OCBC) is hosting a Virtual Chairman’s Leadership Breakfast featuring Chancellor Howard Gillman. OCBC President Lucy Dunn and Chancellor Gillman will engage in a lively conversation on the many facets of UCI vs. COVID-19—from legal to medical to research, vaccines, testing and treatments. The event is tomorrow, Tuesday, May 19 from 10 to 11 a.m. The event is complimentary but registration is required.

Teaching on Anteater Island: The Promise of Virtual Worlds for Remote Learning

The School of Social Sciences continues with its Zot Zeries with the webinar Teaching on Anteater Island: The Promise of Virtual Worlds for Remote Learning, featuring Tom Boellstorff, Professor, Department of Anthropology, UC Irvine and special guest moderator Beth O’Connell, Communications Chair, Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education. The event is May 20 from noon to 1 p.m. and registration is required.

Managing Virtual Projects

The Division of Continuing Education offers the free webinar Managing Virtual Projects. This workshop will cover the basics of project planning and execution, building trust, and achieving virtual team alignment with the organization’s goals and objectives. The event is Tuesday, May 19 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and registration is required.

AAPIs in 2020: Pacific Islanders in the Age of the Coronavirus

The UCI Humanities Center recognizes Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with a Facebook live event called AAPIs in 2020: Pacific Islanders in the Age of the Coronavirus. The event will take place Wednesday, May 20 from 6 to 7 p.m.

The State of Current Healthcare Innovations to Combat COVID-19

The School of Law continues in its “COVID-19 & The Law -- A Virtual Public Lecture Series” with the event The State of Current Healthcare Innovations to Combat COVID-19. The event will take place Tuesday, May 19 from noon to 1 p.m. It is presented by Hans Keirstead, CEO and Board Member, AIVITA Biomedical; and a member of UCI Law’s Board of Visitors. Registration is required.

Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center hosts expert discussion on COVID-19

UCI’s Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center and the Center for Biotechnology and Global Health Policy have partnered to host a panel of experts discussing COVID-19. Four experts addressed four topics related to the COVID-19 pandemic in everyday terms for the non-scientific community. As society begins to reopen, these four topics will drive how the population can stay informed and begin to resume activities safely. The video is available on demand via YouTube.

National Geographic Live at the Barclay

National Geographic Live has been one of the Barclay’s most popular series, presenting explorers who journey to the unknown edges of the world. Now, National Geographic Live: Backstage is happy to bring the excitement and personal connection of National Geographic Live directly to you with a new Facebook Live series. Next up is wildlife filmmaker Filipe DeAndrade, host of Nat Geo WILD’s “Untamed,” on Wednesday, May 20 at 10 a.m.

Anteater Wellness Wednesday: Comedy = Better Life

UCI Alumni next installment of Anteater Wellness Wednesday features Claire Trevor School of the Arts’ Professor Joel Veenstra and the Anteaters in the Arts Chapter to learn how comedy brightens our lives in so many ways, and discover techniques that can help you enjoy your present life more with laughter. The event takes place Wednesday, May 20 from 7 to 8 p.m.Registration is required.

UC UPDATES

President Napolitano announces decisions to address financial impact

UC System President Janet Napolitano issued a letter providing an update on several key decisions necessary in order to respond to the significant financial impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on UC and the ongoing budgetary uncertainties.

Friends, family and members of the Class of 2020: Show your UC pride!

If you’re one of the nearly 57,000 people who will earn a University of California degree this year – congratulations! Earning a college degree is a tremendous achievement. It reflects years of hard work, determination and resolve. To help celebrate this moment and give you the recognition you deserve, the University of California created some downloadable posters and social media assets to help you tell the world that you’re a proud member of the Class of 2020.

Ready, aim, get hired: Job tips for uncertain times

Searching for a new job can be an intimidating process for many. Now, with a global health crisis fueling massive economic disruptions, it can feel even more overwhelming. So how should you go about finding a new job during this challenging time? That timely topic was front and center at a recent UC Alumni Career Network event on LinkedIn Live.

A digital library revolution takes flight

As library doors began to shutter throughout California and much of the world, the potential impact on the academic community was profound. Thankfully, theUniversity of California has been preparing for this moment for decades. UC established the California Digital Library (CDL) in 1997, as it became clear that emerging technologies would continue to transform how digital information was published and accessed. In the years since its founding, one of the CDL’s initiatives has been partnering with campus libraries systemwide to digitize the university’s combined holdings, which together comprise the largest university library system in the world.

COMMUNITY UPDATES & NEWS

Coronavirus relief package passes house, headed to Senate

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a coronavirus relief package worth $3 trillion. The proposal includes nearly $1 trillion for state and local governments, a second distribution of direct payments worth $1,200 per person, up to $6,000 per household, hazard pay of $200 billion for essential workers, and $75 billion in virus testing efforts.

FDA Authorizes First Standalone At-Home Sample Collection Kit

On May 16, the FDA announced the authorization of an at-home sample collection kit for COVID-19 diagnostic testing. The emergency use authorization was issued to Everlywell, Inc. for the Everlywell COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit.

Moderna sees positive early results for its vaccine

According to a press release from Moderna, subjects who received its COVID-19 vaccine have seen positive early results. This data comes from Phase 1 of the trial, which is a small trial group focused on whether the vaccine is safe. All eight participants of the trial developed neutralizing antibodies to the virus at levels reaching or exceeding those who naturally recovered from COVID-19.

Apple to require temperature checks and masks as stores start to reopen

Nearly 100 Apple stores around the world have reopened their stores, but with extensive changes. There will be temperature checks at the front door, more frequent deep cleanings and all staff and shoppers are required to wear a face covering.

Social distancing worked to slow the spread of COVID-19

A new study has found that social distancing worked to limit the spread of coronavirus. The study published in the journal Health Affairs found that the social distancing regulations imposed by the government cut the virus’ daily growth rate by 9% after about three weeks.