Sept. 9 - UCI’s ‘Cool Schools’ reign; eating and masks
Section 1
Anteater Time Machine: Students walking near the Gateway Commons, Humanities-Social Sciences and Fine Arts buildings in 1966.
Each day, a UCI expert will answer one of your questions about COVID-19, vaccinations, variants or the future of work. Submit questions via email.
Today’s question is answered via UCI’s Executive Directive on face coverings:
Are we able to eat at our desk or take sips of a drink when we are in the office or do we have to go outside?
Face coverings can be removed while an individual is eating or drinking indoors on UCI-controlled property, but if you are not fully vaccinated, you must stay at least 6 feet apart from other individuals.
UCI ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS
UCI is No. 2 in Sierra magazine’s new ‘Cool Schools’ ranking
The green streak continues. For an unmatched 12th straight year, UCI has finished in the top 10 of Sierra magazine’s annual survey of sustainability leaders among U.S. and Canadian universities and colleges. UCI has ranked first on the “Cool Schools” list four times. This year’s No. 1 was Arizona State University.
UC NEWS AND GENERAL NEWS
Update on WEX Health email to UC employees
Earlier this week, some UC employees received emails from WEX Health (the administrator for UC’s flexible spending account, COBRA and adoption assistance plans) about a change in information in their online WEX accounts. These changes were made in error, but all account information is being corrected and employees don’t need to take any action. Please note there was no security breach and employee data was not compromised. For more information, visit this information page on the incident.
How much wildfire smoke infiltrates our homes?
Such steps as closing up homes and using air filters can cut particulate matter indoors by half on wildfire days, a study found.
Nurse makes chandelier from vaccine vials
She calls the 4-foot-tall chandelier, which is made with hundreds of vaccine vials, the Light of Appreciation. "I love that from far away it just looks like a beautiful chandelier, and then you get closer and you realize it's all vaccine vials," the nurse told NPR.
EVENTS
Managing Campus Public Health & Individual Care
Monday, noon (sponsored by UCI Health Affairs)
Visit today.uci.edu to see and submit event listings. Events of general interest will be shared in UCI Digest two days before they occur.
UCI IN THE NEWS
UC Irvine team aims to pioneer battery improvements to power our electric future
KABC-7, Sept. 8
Cited: Huolin Xin, associate professor of physics and astronomy
Why Risk of a Flu, COVID-19 ‘Twindemic’ Is Higher This Year
Healthline, Sept. 8
Cited: Karen L. Edwards, professor and chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Kids are more depressed than ever. Is social media to blame?
Parentology, Sept. 8
Cited: Candice Odgers, psychological science professor
COVID-19 NOTIFICATION AND RESOURCES
No new campus cases
No on-campus employees or on-campus students tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. For more information, visit the UCI COVID-19 dashboard.
Remember to upload your vaccine record
Vaccination is a critical step toward our campus's fall return. Help our community by uploading your vaccine record.
Potential workplace exposure
UCI provides this notification of a potential workplace COVID-19 exposure. Employees and subcontractors who were in these locations on the dates listed may have been exposed to the coronavirus. You may be entitled to various benefits under applicable federal and state laws and University-specific policies and agreements. The full notification is available on the UCI Forward site. If you have been identified as a close contact to a COVID-19 case, the UCI Contact Tracing Program will contact you and provide additional direction.
For COVID-19 questions
UCI Forward - information on campus status and operational updates
UCI Health COVID-19 Updates - important information related to UCI Health
UCI Coronavirus Response Center - available at covid19@uci.edu or via phone at (949) 824-9918
Contact Tracing and Vaccine Navigation Services - assistance with vaccines and vaccine uploads; available at contacttracing@uci.edu or via phone at (949) 824-2300
Program in Public Health chatline - answers to questions about COVID-19
For questions specific to your personal health situation, please contact your doctor or healthcare provider.