August 31 - Updates on COVID-19
Section 1
CAMPUS SNAPSHOT
Michael Méndez, assistant professor of urban planning & public policy, discusses the future of sustainability in a new installment of “What’s Next,” UCI’s series on how the pandemic may reshape society. Scroll down for the story. Photo by Patricia DeVoe / UCI
TODAY’S CAMPUS UPDATES
Campus parking permit reprieve extended
As announced Friday, UCI Transportation is extending its parking permit reprieve through Jan. 3. If you have reactivated a parking permit payroll deduction, no further action is required as the charge will be taken care of centrally. Payments made by check or credit card will be refunded to the payment method and address used at the time of purchase.
New student cases
Two students living off-campus tested positive for COVID-19 last week. For a cumulative campus case count, visit www.uci.edu/coronavirus.
UCI COVID-19 NEWS AND EVENTS
For trivia buffs...
Since March, UCI Zoom has hosted nearly 500,000 meetings. Collectively, the sessions lasted almost 2.9 million hours.
How safe is indoor air at UCI?
Tune in Wednesday at noon as Anteater Insider LIVE explores “The Health of Indoor Air.” Matthew Gudorf of UCI Facilities Management will discuss how the university is handling indoor air quality as people return to campus. And Manabu Shiraiwa, associate professor of chemistry, looks at the science behind indoor air and COVID-19 transmission. Viewers can submit questions for a live Q&A during the show. Register and watch via Zoom or Vimeo. P.S., if you missed the Anteater Insider episode on UCI’s daily symptom check-in process, which is now mandatory, you can watch it here.
What’s Next: The future of sustainability
In this chapter of “What’s next,” a series of articles on how the pandemic could reshape the future, assistant professor Michael Méndez says the virus could have a positive effect on sustainability and climate change.
UC UPDATES
Why no break on UC tuition despite remote classes? COVID expenses are astronomical
Costs are soaring as universities spend millions on PPE, deep cleaning and the technology for online instruction. At the same time, fewer students on campus has disrupted revenue streams, such as dining and residence halls. The University of California system lost $1.8 billion from March through June.
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.
An avatar graduation ceremony
Virtual graduation ceremonies are nothing new in 2020, but the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay went one step further, creating avatars of more than 2,000 graduating students and inserting them into a video game-style commencement. Students were also able to roam around a virtual campus and bump into friends and faculty.
Happiness museum explores good feelings in uncertain times
The world’s first museum dedicated explicitly to happiness opened this summer in Copenhagen. It displays artifacts of joy from around the globe, examines historical perceptions of happiness, and enables visitors to leave notes about their own sources of happiness. Visitors may also encounter a few experiments — such as a wallet full of cash left on the floor. Trust, according to the museum’s creators, is a key contributor to happiness. So far, the wallet has been returned intact every time.
GENERAL COVID-19 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.
Shame and blame don’t stop college parties, but outdoor beer pong might
As more parties surface, university administrators have been quick to condemn, berate and even punish the behavior of students. But that’s the wrong approach, experts say. “It’s like asking people to go on a diet, putting them in a candy store and saying ‘Good luck,’” one says. Another adds: “As the university, you’ve got the responsibility to provide students with imaginative, compassionate, realistic, low-risk options for staying socially connected.”
Preschoolers are mask-licking germ bombs, but few catch COVID, data show
Messy toddlers may be uniquely resilient to the virus, scientists say.
‘2020 can go to hell’: the tale behind California’s viral pandemic fire photo
Amid the destruction of recent wildfires, one photo became an icon for 2020’s miseries: Against a backdrop of flames, it showed a sign asking senior center visitors to wear masks, wash their hands and be safe. “Come Join Us,” it beckoned creepily. Here’s the story behind the picture.
South Coast Plaza reopens as indoor mall limits lifted
The iconic shopping center, along with other malls in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties (but not Los Angeles County) is back in business.
Some experts call for third-party review of COVID vaccines
Citing criticism of government agencies and public distrust of vaccines, several health experts are calling for the creation of an independent commission, separate from the FDA, to review data from coronavirus vaccine trials.
Coronavirus vaccine may require two doses
As with vaccines for chickenpox and shingles, experts believe that once a coronavirus vaccine comes on the market, people will likely need two doses.
Flu season could be lighter because of pandemic
Some experts believe social distancing and business closures could reduce the spread of the flu compared to a typical season. However, they worry if restrictions are eased, this silver lining may be lost.
Restaurants, gyms and salons slam California’s new color-coded system
After Gov. Newsom released California’s new tiered system for reopening, restaurant, gym and nail salon owners criticized the plan, saying it will continue to bring financial misery to their businesses. The California Restaurant Association called on Newsom to hold a special session to work on an aid package.
UCI IN THE NEWS - COVID-19 Article List
Orange County Register, Aug. 29, 2020 (Opinion)
Masking the politics of bad breath
Radiological Society of North America, Aug. 27, 2020
Radiologists develop AI tool to identify risk of COVID complications
Yahoo, Aug. 28, 2020
How remote learning is revealing a digital divide: ‘Not all students have equitable access’
MarketWatch, Aug. 31, 2020 (Opinion)
To rebuild the economy, America needs a new social contract
Yahoo (Bloomberg Opinion), Aug, 30, 2020
The big question: Can the U.S. hold a fair election?
VC Star, Aug. 30, 2020
Study reveals data on COVID-19 antibody prevalence in Ventura County
Orange County Business Journal, Aug. 31, 2020
Startups & Innovations – COVID Innovations
Orange County Business Journal, Aug. 31, 2020
Launch
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