December 9 - Updates on COVID-19
Section 1
A student walks through campus on a fall day. Photo by Steve Zylius/UCI.
TODAY’S CAMPUS UPDATES
Winter break information for students
The campus, like the county, has been experiencing a notable increase in positive COVID-19 test results among students in the past few weeks. With winter break approaching, and much of the state under a stay-at-home order, please review this important information about UCI expectations for students before, during and after winter break.
Case count
Ten new positive cases were reported yesterday, five students and five employees. Visit the UCI dashboard for additional details on UCI’s case counts.
UCI COVID-19 NEWS AND EVENT
How to handle holiday stress
Jessica Borelli, UCI associate professor of psychological science, shares some of her insights into how we can handle the added COVID-19 complexities and still mean it when we say “Happy holidays!”
UCI-led study offers new approach for more accurate epidemic modeling
A new class of epidemiological models based on alternative thinking about how contagions propagate provide a blueprint for more accurate epidemic modeling and improved disease spread predictions and responses.
UCI researchers develop at-home coronavirus saliva test
Researchers in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine announced promising results in the development of a noninvasive at-home antigen test to detect the spike of SARS-CoV-2 proteins in saliva.
UC NEWS
The UC Alumni Career Network explores the future of travel
If you’re typically a globe-trotter, the COVID-19 pandemic has likely been a challenge for you. It’s difficult to imagine what exploring the world will look like when coronavirus is behind us. The latest episode of the UC Alumni Career Network explores what’s in store for the future of travel, and what journeyers might expect.
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.
County of Orange prepares for first allocation of COVID-19 vaccine
County of Orange health officials were notified by the California Department of Public Health on Dec. 1 that the OC Health Care Agency should make preparations to receive 25,350 doses of Pfizer-manufactured COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 15.
County of Orange expands at-home, saliva-based COVID-19 testing to all Orange County residents
The county’s phase 1 at-home test kit program began on Nov. 23 and continued through Dec. 6, during which approximately 12,000 kits were made available to cities hit hardest by the pandemic – Santa Ana and Anaheim. After reviewing utilization data from the initial success of phase 1, the Orange County Board of Supervisors Testing Ad Hoc Committee recommended that the Health Care Agency make this free testing service immediately available countywide.
L.A. County could receive 84,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine by next week
Los Angeles County will likely get 84,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in its first allocation from the state by as early as next week. The county could receive a second round of doses in late December and may allocate some of those vaccines for nursing home residents and employees.
Where COVID-19 vaccines will be stored and distributed in California
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) confirmed a list of seven hospitals and facilities throughout the state they’ve identified. The CDPH said these facilities were chosen based on their ultra-cold storage capabilities, as the Pfizer vaccine -- the first assumed to be approved by the FDA -- must be stored in negative 80-degree freezers. The final criteria was one of geography, as CDPH said these places were chosen to be spread across the state as evenly as possible.
California COVID-19 cases make single-day record
California has again broken a daily record for newly confirmed coronavirus cases. The state reported 34,490 new coronavirus cases.
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.
Google releases its ‘Year in Search’ list for 2020
Unsurprisingly, “election results” and “coronavirus” topped the U.S. trending searches list, as people sought answers about the deadly pandemic and a crucial election that took longer than usual to play out because of the pandemic. Also among the top 10 on the list: Zoom, Naya Rivera, Chadwick Boseman and PlayStation 5.