July 14 - Updates on COVID-19

UCI UPDATES

Trump administration rescinds foreign students rule

The Trump administration today rescinded a policy that would have stripped visas from international students whose courses move exclusively online amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Working Well™ Employee Guide

As part of the UCI’s Working Well™ program, learn about the steps faculty and staff can take to work well. Read the Working Well™ Employee Guide.

Free virtual well-being services for UCI employees

The Susan Samueli Integrative Health well-being initiative is offering free virtual well-being services for UCI employees. Mindfulness and meditation, guided acupressure, stress management, biofeedback and relaxation techniques, and wellness education sessions are some of the available services. Appointmentsare required.

Positive cases

Two employees have tested positive for COVID-19. Both are self-isolating and recovering at home. An additional two employees have clinically recovered from COVID-19. To see positive case counts and recovery counts, visit www.uci.edu/coronavirus.

UCI COVID-19 NEWS AND STORIES

UCI Podcast: Flattening the coronavirus curve, again

Major portions of society are continuing to open back up in Orange County, even as some restrictions return amidst surging coronavirus cases in California. In the spring, Orange County managed to flatten the COVID-19 curve, and even served as an exemplary model for other cities around the nation. Now, the question is whether Orange County can do the same thing again. In this episode of the UCI Podcast, Bernadette Boden-Albala, dean of UCI’s Program in Public Health, argues that Orange County needs to pursue harm reductionby remaining dedicated to the most effective methods of preventing the spread of the virus, while also protecting our own mental health.

It’s time for well-child checks and vaccinations

Parents understandably postponed visits to the pediatrician during the lockdown phase of the novel coronavirus pandemic. It initially made sense for all but the most urgent healthcare needs. Now, however, it’s time to get those well-child visits on the calendar, says UCI Health pediatrician Dr. Candice Taylor.

Virtual nurses make a real difference

Barred from the medical campus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of soon-to-be-graduates in UCI’s Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing found a way to make their last several weeks as students especially meaningful – not just for themselves, but also for dozens of patients who were prevented from having company. Every day since May 4 up to their final hours before commencement on June 13, the mix of about 45 undergraduate and graduate students took turns virtually visiting individuals hospitalized for reasons unrelated to the coronavirus.

Leading a remote workforce

Working from home is an entirely new lifestyle for a large majority of workers, posing a new set of challenges, especially for team leaders who value face-to-face interactions. But with a bit of expert guidance, disruption can lead to opportunities for an improved team dynamic and greater productivity. The first step is to make sure everyone is connected in the most efficient and effective way possible, said Bob Fuhs, a longtime leadership consultant, instructor and coach who teaches the DCE Foundations of Leadership course.

UCI COVID-19 VIRTUAL EVENTS

HRTalks: Focus on the Next Normal

According to a recent study, “65% of people said they would feel uncomfortable returning to the workplace.” UCI Continuing Education invites you to dive deeper into why company culture, staff safety, well-being, and understanding matters more than ever, in a webinar called HRTalks: Focus on the Next Normal. Management’s understanding, approach, and readiness for today’s new normal will be key to tomorrow’s success. Join the conversation as a panel of respected experts share their knowledge and expertise. During this interactive session, you’ll discover practical ways to address current issues and prepare for the future. This free virtual event takes place Wednesday, July 15, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration is required.

Coping During Uncertain Times

UCI Wellness offers the next installment of its coronavirus support webinar series with Coping During Uncertain Times. People have a powerful need to understand and predict their environments in order to feel in control. When we are exposed to potential threats to our well-being, we naturally respond to this uncertainty with anxiety and fear. This training will address ways of effectively coping with uncertainty in today’s media saturated world. The course will examine how to remain positive and functional despite the risks of living in a changing world. Included will be practical tips for coping with uncertainty, re-establishing control and how to speak to children about fear. This event takes place Thursday, July 16 from noon to 1 p.m. Registration is required.

UC UPDATES

What University of California campuses are planning for fall

The University of California’s nine undergraduate campuses are all preparing to offer most courses remotely in the fall, while still welcoming back some students, with many restrictions and safety measures in place. There are both similarities and differences among the campuses’ plans, which are still evolving, particularly in light of the recent increase in Covid-19 illnesses and deaths. The following table provides an overview of what the campuses are planning.

HOPE, INSPIRATION, LAUGHTER

Amid the heartbreaking loss of life and economic hardship wrought by the coronavirus, we recognize the need for stories of kindness, hope, courage and humor.

The HeadBand Project: Strength In Buttons

With the help of her cousin, UCI student Stephanie Anne Romero, a 4th year Public Health Sciences major, kick-started a nonprofit organization called The HeadBand Project: Strength In Buttons. It is a collective effort to provide healthcare personnel and other essential workers with headbands free of cost that are made to alleviate ear discomfort that may come up after wearing PPE for extended periods of time. The headbands are made with buttons attached to both sides so that any elastic may hang from the buttons rather than the individual’s ears. Started in April, to date the project has reached over 10+ different hospitals with over 900+ headbands.

COMMUNITY UPDATES & NEWS

Note: Some news organizations require subscriptions to read articles. The UCI Libraries offer free subscriptions to The New York Times and Wall Street Journal for students, faculty and staff.

OC Board of Education votes to support return to school without social distancing, masks

Last night, the Orange County Board of Education voted on its own guidelines for schools: on-campus instruction, no face masks and no keeping 6 feet apart. The board has no power to direct any of Orange County’s 27 school districts to follow its guidelines, which are in direct opposition to those issued by the Orange County Department of Education, state public health officials and others.

‘I can’t keep doing this:’ Small business owners are giving up

More entrepreneurs are permanently closing their doors after new lockdown orders, sensing that there may be no end in sight to the crisis.

City of Irvine Rental Assistance Program

The City of Irvine has committed $2,000,000 in one-time federal CARES Act funding to create the Rental Assistance Program. This program is only available to residential renters, and will exclude commercial, industrial or other types of business-related tenants.

U.S.-Canada border likely to be closed until mid-August

The U.S.-Canada border is expected to be closed until at least Aug. 21 and there will be increased enforcement and surveillance at the land borders in the coming weeks.

COVID-19 immunity could wear off in months

A UK study suggests that people who have been infected with coronavirus could see their immunity decline within months, which is what health experts were afraid of happening.

UCI IN THE NEWS - COVID-19 Article List

Spectrum News1, July 2, 2020 (Video)
UC Irvine Researchers exploring using Blu ray diodes to combat COVID19

The Washington Post, July 13, 2020 (Blog)
Why this pandemic is a good time to stop forcing prospective lawyers to take bar exams

The Conversation, July 12, 2020
The long-term biological effects of COVID-19 stress on kids’ future health and development

Voice of OC, July 14, 2020
Orange County continues to face shortages of coronavirus tests and contact tracing

Voice of OC, July 14, 2020
Gov. Newsom closes Orange County’s churches, indoor malls, barber shops and gyms

Fox 11 Los Angeles (CNS), July 14, 2020
OC school board approves reopening in-person classes without masks, social distancing

PolitiFact, July 7, 2020
Tucker Carlson claims coronavirus ‘poses virtually zero threat’ to children, most teachers

EdSource, July 13, 2020
Quick Guide: What University of California campuses are planning

Futurity, July 13, 2020
Expert: Even COVID-19 can’t end paper money

KCET, July 10, 2020
COVID-19 and anti-racism movements create new urgency for working artists

Canada’s National Observer, July 12, 2020
The science about whether it’s safe to send kids back to school is a total mess

MORE INFORMATION

OC-COVID19.org - powered by UCI and UCI Health, a website devoted to providing timely, useful, evidence-based information about the novel coronavirus pandemic to our friends and neighbors across Orange County

UCI Coronavirus Information Hub - more information on campus status and operational updates

UCI Health COVID-19 Updates - important information related to UCI Health