Jan. 6 - Booster timing if you just had COVID; masking tips
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Anteater Time Machine: Respiratory therapist Vita Susin receives UCI’s first COVID-19 vaccine shot on Dec. 16, 2020. Photo by Carlos Puma
In this continuing series, UCI experts answer questions about COVID-19, vaccinations, variants or the future of work. Submit questions via email.
Today’s question is fielded by Dr. Albert Chang, medical director of the Student Health Center:
If someone catches COVID-19 before receiving a booster shot, how long should they wait to get boosted after their symptoms end?
Wait two to four weeks after clearance from COVID and symptoms. This enables your body to completely recover from the infection and prepares your immune system to mount a strong response to the booster. For more booster FAQs, visit UCI Forward.
UCI ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS
State beaches are “slowly starving,” says Brett Sanders, a professor of civil and environmental engineering.
How sea level rise is already affecting California
Beach erosion and coastal flooding are creating headaches up and down the state and around the globe. UCI researchers have developed models that predict future flooding and enable policymakers to plan solutions.
UC NEWS AND GENERAL NEWS
Tips to improve your mask’s effectiveness
The state health department offers advice on how to get the best protection from your face covering. Fit is critical and not all masks are equally effective. N95s are the top choice; cloth masks are at the bottom.
Hopeful signs amid the omicron surge
A year ago, more than 80% of COVID-19 patients in L.A. County hospitals were there because of severe illness associated with the disease. This year, about two-thirds of the hospital patients who have tested positive for the virus were admitted for something other than COVID-19, according to the Los Angeles Times. Many had no idea they were infected. Hospitals elsewhere report similar trends. Meanwhile, the chair of UCSF’s Department of Medicine explains to NPR why omicron’s milder symptoms and high contagiousness could unexpectedly push the U.S. into “good shape, maybe even great shape” in just six to eight weeks.
UC President Drake issues Jan. 6 anniversary statement
One year after the post-election riot in the nation’s Capitol, UC President Michael V. Drake, M.D., released a statement saying, “We must recommit ourselves to doing everything we can to reinforce and promote our nation’s democratic values, and live up to our highest ideals of truth seeking, inclusion, and respect.”
UCI IN THE NEWS
Note: Some news sites require subscriptions to read articles. The UCI Libraries offer free subscriptions to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Orange County Register and The Washington Post for students, faculty and staff.
How Much Does Online Therapy Cost, and Will Insurance Cover It?
Yahoo Money (Money), Jan. 5
Cited: Stephen Schueller, associate professor of psychological science
‘Extraordinary is no longer extraordinary’: US scientists on a year of climate disasters
The Guardian, Dec. 30
Cited: Kathleen Johnson, associate professor of Earth system science
How Does Your Pharmacy Make Sure You Get the Right COVID Vaccine Dose?
VeryWell Health, Jan. 3
Cited: Keri Hurley-Kim, assistant clinical professor of pharmaceutical sciences