November 3 - Updates on COVID-19
Section 1
Is your face covering thick enough?
Here’s a quick way to evaluate the effectiveness of your face covering. Put on your mask and try to blow out a lighted candle. If you can extinguish the flame, your mask may be too thin. If you can’t blow out the candle, then most likely your mask will provide appropriate protection. This test should be used only as a quick reference and isn’t meant to replace scientific data or the advice of health professionals.
TODAY’S CAMPUS UPDATES
Show your ZotPass!
Students on campus may be asked to “Show Your ZotPass!” to ensure your compliance with the Daily Symptom Check for all students, and with the weekly asymptomatic testing requirement for campus residents. Visit the website for the ZotPass Program for details.
No new cases
No new coronavirus cases were reported since yesterday. Currently there are a total of 4 active cases among students and employees. View the UCI dashboard for updates on testing, case counts and available isolation rooms.
UCI COVID-19 NEWS AND EVENTS
Blood drive tomorrow
Our next blood drive will be Wednesday, Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Great Park Ice parking lot, 888 Ridge Valley, Irvine, 92618. Everyone who donates will receive a gift card for a pint of Baskin Robbins ice-cream, an Anaheim Ducks bag and hat. Appointments are required.
Upcoming events
- Gratitude: A Skill for Happier Living, Thursday, noon, sponsored by UCI Wellness
UC NEWS
Office of President extends remote work
University of California Office of the President (UCOP) will extend its current remote work and limited on-site operation status through June 30, 2021.
UC travel update
The Central Travel Office will hold a webinar on Managing Unused Credits tomorrow, November 4th and an encore on the same topic on December 16th. Additionally, one will run on Personal Travel on December 9th.
GENERAL COVID-19 NEWS
This section curates noteworthy coronavirus news, trends and opinions. No endorsement by UCI is implied. Note: Some news sites require subscriptions to read articles. The UCI Libraries offer free subscriptions to The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and OC Register for students, faculty and staff
COVID-19 hospitalizations down in Orange County
The number of hospitalizations related to the virus dropped from 188 Saturday to 181, with the number of intensive care unit patients decreasing from 58 to 55, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency. The change in the three-day average of hospitalized patients went from 11.1% to 7%. The county has 35% of its intensive care unit beds and 67% of its ventilators available.
LA/OC region hits #2 in U.S. for unemployment
Bureau of Labor Statistics data show he pandemic’s economic punch pushed Los Angeles and Orange counties to the second-largest jump in joblessness among the nation’s largest metropolitan areas in the past year.
10 tips for voting safely in person
From bringing your own pen and hand sanitizer to voting at a less busy time of the day, this article outlines 10 tips for voting safely during the pandemic today.
Texas surpasses California with most cases
California is no longer the state with the highest number of coronavirus cases, as Texas officially surpassed the overall case count despite having 10 million fewer residents.
An interactive feature on how masks work
Shrink to the size of a particle and go inside a mask to see how they work in this interactive feature in the New York Times.
Does weather affect the spread of the coronavirus outside?
With remote work, more Americans are moving
As working from home seems permanent, many Americans are planning to set off to live in new places, according to a new study.
COVID-19 cases in children are rising across the nation
There were 61,000 new cases of COVID-19 in children during the last week of October across the U.S., which is larger than any previous week during the pandemic. Children with COVID-19 now represent 11% of all cases in the nation.
79th prison inmate dies of COVID-19 in California
Three inmates in California prisons died of COVID-19 in the past week as coronavirus outbreaks continue to devastate the state’s prison population. The latest death marks the 79th incarcerated person in California to die from complications of the illness.
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.
Family deals out fun with COVID-themed card game
One family is healing with humor after almost losing a family member to the virus, by developing a card came called, “It’s Contagious.”
#UCIconnected
What have you been up to during the pandemic? Send photos and/or words about your activities, workstation, volunteering or academic adventures to marketing@uci.edu or post on social media with the #UCIconnected hashtag.