October 12 - Updates on COVID-19
Section 1
TODAY’S CAMPUS UPDATES
Dear students: Spoiler alert
Unlike many other campuses, UCI is so far keeping the coronavirus in check. But that can easily unravel if students head home on weekends or socialize off-campus. We realize that masks, distancing and limited interactions with friends and family aren’t fun. But they work. Please don’t be a spoiler. If we each do our part as the nation heads toward an expected surge of cases this fall, UCI will stay on track to succeed where other colleges have fallen short.
New positive case and testing update
One student tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend. As of Oct. 11, UCI had six active cases on campus: three students and three employees. Speaking of testing, COVID-19 screening for grad students living in campus housing begins today, followed by weekly testing for all student residents starting Oct. 19. For more info and FAQs, visit UCI’s coronavirus testing website.
UCI COVID-19 NEWS AND EVENTS
Town Hall with Chancellor Gillman and Interim Provost Stern
Faculty and staff are invited to a UCI Zoom Town Hall and Q&A on Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Topics include an extension of remote work, healthy and safety guidelines and UCI’s financial picture. Space is limited to the first 3,000 participants, but others can watch via livestream. A Q&A will follow the opening remarks. Questions can also be sent in advance to chancellor@uci.edu.
How to Thwart Hackers
As National Cybersecurity Awareness Month continues, UCI offers tips to keep your personal devices secure, especially as more people work remotely and access UCI institutional data and resources from home. Download the telework tipsheet for ways to protect your home network. And visit the IT Security Working Remote webpage for more guidance. Last but not least, check out Anteater Live’s episode on keeping your work and data safe.
Staff Appreciation Week
A virtual scavenger hunt, award ceremonies, prizes and a trio of outdoor jazz concerts (at UCI Medical Center) are part of this year’s Staff Appreciation Week. For details, visit https://hr.uci.edu/partnership/staff-appreciation/.
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
At Disney World, ‘worst fears’ about virus haven’t happened
New coronavirus cases in Florida have dropped steadily since Disney World reopened in mid-July. “So far – so far – it has been a success story,” said an employee union official. “As a union rep, I do not say that lightly.”
Two colleges, 60 miles apart, fared very differently with virus
At one Alabama university, 6.2% of the student body tested positive. At the other, just 0.48% tested positive. A case study.
Europe tightens restrictions as cases surge
COVID-19 is on the upswing across the U.K., France, Italy, Spain and Germany, setting records in several countries.
How do pandemics end?
People are hoping a vaccine will wipe out COVID-19, but history suggests otherwise. Most of the infections faced by our ancestors are still with us. A look at how past diseases played out could offer clues about the future.
Moderna won’t enforce patents for its COVID vaccine
The company announced it would not enforce patents for its coronavirus vaccine technology, stating, “We feel a special obligation under the current circumstances to use our resources to bring this pandemic to an end as quickly as possible.”
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.
Pandemic pet costumes
Turn your animal into an octopus, a UPS delivery dog, a rocketship, a prison inmate, a granny and much more with these Halloween pet disguises.
Combating COVID by design
This video tells the story of two young strangers striving to ease the effects of the pandemic among Latinos.
#UCIconnected
During the pandemic, Ellen Seaback from the School of Medicine started doing Diamond Painting (aka Diamond Dotz). “It’s kind of tedious and it takes a while, but it’s a good little filler when you need to keep your hands busy with something repetitive and simple,” she says. Seaback made this one for her son and his wife for their coffee bar at home in North Carolina.
What have you been up to during the pandemic? Send photos and/or words about your activities, workstation, volunteering or academic adventures to marketing@uci.edu or post on social media with the #UCIconnected hashtag.