November 9 - Updates on COVID-19

A walk in the park. Photo by Steve Zylius/UCI.

TODAY’S CAMPUS UPDATES

Continuing student housing process for Fall 2021

Ongoing uncertainties about the public health outlook for 2021 will impact the Continuing Student housing application timeline, housing guarantee, and the timing of housing offers. This webpage offers an overview of the 2021-22 housing process.

Family support resources

In an effort to continue to assist our employees during this unique and unprecedented period of time, UCI has launched families.uci.edu, a new central webpage to help connect UCI families to dependent and elder care resources. In addition, we have partnered with Bright Horizons® to offer a new, high-quality, subsidized Back-Up Care™ Program and Additional Family Supports™ for all UCI faculty/academics, staff, resident physicians, and graduate students.

Case count update

Since the last issue of this newsletter on Nov. 5, there have been three new positive cases of coronavirus reported. All three are in the student population. Visit the UCI dashboard for more information on positive cases.

Open enrollment early action incentive drawing

This is our first year processing Open Enrollment in UCPath. To incentivize early action by our employees, we are holding promotional drawings for a $25 Amazon e-card for those that take early action before 11/17. How to enter: 1) complete your Open Enrollment early, then 2) complete this form. This incentive drawing is complete and separate from Open Enrollment action. One entry per employee, and any employee may only win once.

UCI COVID-19 NEWS AND EVENTS

UCI Podcast: Testing and Tracing

Dr. Albert Chang, the medical director of the UCI Student Health Center; and David Souleles, the director of UCI’s COVID-19 Response Team, join the UCI Podcast to discuss asymptomatic testing and contact tracing and how the two initiatives work together to prevent the spread of COVID-19. A transcript is available on the podcast page.

UCI Podcast: What’s next with COVID

In this special UCI Podcast, Andrew Noymer, an associate professor of public health at UCI, discusses what we’ve learned over the last eight months of the pandemic and what we can expect next with the novel coronavirus. For instance, we need to get prepared for a harsh winter with a surge of infections. Also, he talks about the impact a vaccine can make for having the general population reach herd immunity levels, and our realistic future living with a virus that won’t be going away anytime soon. And don’t forget, wearing a face covering works. A transcript is available on the podcast page.

Holiday travel safety tips from UCI Health

Celebrating virtually is the safest thing to do because travel increases your chance of getting and spreading the novel coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Yes, it is possible for friends and families to visit during the holidays, but it will take some serious advance planning to keep everyone safe from COVID-19 in the process,” says Dr. Susan Huang, medical director of epidemiology and infection prevention for UCI Health.

Upcoming events

• COVID-19 and the Impact on the Central Nervous System - Nov. 12 at 4 p.m., sponsored by the School of Biological Sciences

UC NEWS AND EVENTS

Smartphone notification pilot expands at UC locations to help limit spread of COVID-19 using privacy-first technology

A program to test a smartphone-based COVID-19 exposure notification system will expand to an additional five University of California campus locations as a result of accomplishments from an initial deployment earlier this fall at two UC campuses.

UC to continue to champion diverse student body despite rejection of Prop. 16

“UC remains steadfast in its commitment to attract and support a student body that reflects California’s dynamism and diversity, despite this setback,” said UC President Michael V. Drake, M.D. “We will continue our unwavering efforts to expand underrepresented groups’ access to a UC education.”

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
  

While California cases are rising, there is still time to prevent another wave

Even though California has started to see a rise in coronavirus cases, the pace of increase is still far milder than the rest of the U.S. and experts say there is still time to prevent a “third wave.”

Pfizer’s vaccine is more than 90% effective

This morning, Pfizer announced that an early look at data from its coronavirus vaccine shows it is more than 90% effective.

Biden team unveils COVID-19 advisory board

President-elect Joe Biden has named 13 health experts to his Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board.

CDC study: Employees working in the office almost double their COVID-19 risk

About 310 workers took part in the study in July. They all held full-time, non-essential jobs. The full study was published on Thursday, in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Global coronavirus case total tops 50 million

The coronavirus has hit another sobering milestone: more than 50 million positive cases of coronavirus worldwide. There have been more than 1.2 million deaths from the disease since the pandemic started.

OC Health Care Agency launches Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention Campaigns

Recognizing the stresses that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is having on OC residents, the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) is launching three new mental health awareness campaigns in the coming weeks.

Disney California Adventure opening some areas on Nov. 19

Disneyland Resort’s California Adventure announced it would open some stores and eateries inside the park on Nov. 19. While the theme park itself will remain closed, the park will open access to Buena Vista Street just inside the park’s entrance as an expansion of the Downtown Disney shopping district.

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. 

In Covid-wrecked Mexico, one doctor tries humor and home visits

If laughter heals, Dr. Gutiérrez, an affable physician and one-man roving medical clinic, has developed a rare practice in the turbulent times of Covid-19. He relies on humor, positivity and intimacy, qualities most patients have been robbed of by the pandemic.

#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.