August 4 - Updates on COVID-19
Section 1
CAMPUS SNAPSHOT
Jacarandas in Aldrich Park pre-pandemic. Photo by Steve Zylius/UCI.
UCI UPDATES
Positive cases and recoveries
Two employees have tested positive for coronavirus and 7 previously positive co-workers have clinically recovered and been cleared to return to work. Please view the cumulative case count at www.uci.edu/coronavirus.
UCI COVID-19 NEWS AND STORIES
UCI to launch innovative School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
As part of a prescription to reshape 21st-century healthcare, the University of California, Irvine is announcing the establishment of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the first public pharmacy school in the Los Angeles-Orange County region and a pillar of UCI’s expanding Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences.
UCI COVID-19 VIRTUAL EVENTS
UCI Great Big Read
Recipient of the illustrious National Medal of Arts and internationally-recognized author, Julia Alvarez, is the featured presenter as part of a virtual UCI Great Big Read event at noon on Thursday, August 6. Her recent book, Afterlife, is the reading for the UCI Great Big Read. RSVP is required. The UCI Great Big Read is a partnership initiative hosted by the Office of Inclusive Excellence, UCI Libraries, and Division of Student Affairs to foster engagement and social solidarity during a time requiring our practice of physical distancing.
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.
A 90-year-old Chevy Chase man spent months making masks - in return he got a birthday parade
Although Willkens had no experience with a machine, he had always been surrounded by sewing. His wife of 67 years, Marie, had been a home economics teacher and often made garments for their children.
Utah family creates ‘Surviving Quarantine’ game to teach kids, bring humor to pandemic
The rules are simple: avoid the viruses, use vaccine and antidote cards to protect yourself and survive another round. Players draw from the deck of cards donning brightly colored cartoons -- if you draw one of the 20 virus cards, you can give it to another player. That player can then use antidote or vaccine cards to block the virus and survive another round. Some of the vaccine cards feature a hand sanitizer shower, toilet paper armor or a water bottle fort.
COMMUNITY UPDATES & NEWS
Note: Some news organizations require subscriptions to read articles. The UCI Libraries offer free subscriptions to The New York Times and Wall Street Journal for students, faculty and staff.
UN chief says 1 billion students affected by virus closures
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the coronavirus pandemic has led to the largest disruption of education in history, with schools closed in more than 160 countries in mid-July, affecting over 1 billion students. As a result, Guterres warned that the world faces “a generational catastrophe that could waste untold human potential, undermine decades of progress, and exacerbate entrenched inequalities.”
California’s coronavirus surge could be slowing
A Los Angeles Times analysis found that California has experienced its first weekly reduction in new confirmed coronavirus cases for the first time in 12 weeks.
Dr. Fauci explains why the U.S. hasn’t beaten COVID-19
In a candid discussion, Dr. Fauci reviews schools reopening, vaccines, recent hostility towards the scientific community, and the U.S’s current status.
LAX launches new travel safety ambassador program amid ongoing pandemic
A new program was rolled out at Los Angeles International Airport in an effort to make travel safer during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The city deployed travel safety ambassadors at the airport to hand out free face masks, along with fact sheets and information about safe travel tips.
‘American Idol’ holding virtual auditions amid coronavirus pandemic
Amid Coronavirus PandemicLos Angeles-based television singing competitionAmerican Idol is holding virtual auditions for the first time for their upcoming season.
Waiver process for elementary schools to reopen in-person learning
There is now a detailed waiver process that elementary schools can follow to opt-out of online learning in the fall and resume in-person instruction.
YMCA of Orange County to offer in-person childcare
YMCA of Orange County has announced that it will offer in-person childcare and homework support for K-8 students.
Disney theme parks forecast $2 billion hit
Disney’s theme park division is forecast to report a $2 billion quarterly loss in its fiscal third-quarter 2020 results due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020 Long Beach Marathon canceled
The 36th annual Long Beach Marathon, scheduled to take place Oct. 3-4, has officially been canceled. The goal is for the event to return Oct. 10, 2021.
UCI IN THE NEWS - COVID-19 Article List
Chicago Tribune, Aug. 3, 2020 (Column)
Column: As the coronavirus rages, families are left to decide how — not whether — it will affect their kids’ right to an education
The Wall Street Journal, Aug. 4, 2020
Can you form a school pod without fueling inequality? These groups are trying
KCRW, Aug. 3, 2020 (Audio)
Kids could trigger another wave of COVID and the fall may be worse, says health professor
The Washington Post, Aug. 2, 2020
A coronavirus vaccine won’t change the world right away
The Kansas City Star, Aug. 2, 2020
Remember election night? Pandemic, tight races could make it election week. Or longer
Voice of OC, Aug. 3, 2020
Tackling Coronavirus spread in Anaheim and Santa Ana puts focus on inequity
Business Insider, Aug. 4, 2020
How America became a breeding ground for anti-maskers, according to social psychologists
MORE INFORMATION
OC-COVID19.org - powered by UCI and UCI Health, a website devoted to providing timely, useful, evidence-based information about the novel coronavirus pandemic to our friends and neighbors across Orange County
UCI Coronavirus Information Hub - more information on campus status and operational updates
UCI Health COVID-19 Updates - important information related to UCI Health