UCI Forward

UCI Forward is our commitment to the well-being of our community as we ramp up campus operations. Working together, each of us doing our part, we can move UCI Forward.

February 24 - Updates on COVID-19

Section 1

Graphic reads 'Do I still have to wear a mask and socially distance after I get the vaccine?'

Yes. Everyone, including people who have received both doses of the vaccine, should continue to follow the CDC’s recommendations on wearing masks, washing hands and social distancing, even after receiving both doses of the vaccine. #ThisIsOurShot #UCIForward

TODAY'S CAMPUS UPDATES

New campus cases*

Two students tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. For more information, visit the UCI COVID-19 dashboard.

UCI COVID-19 NEWS AND EVENTS

A COVID-19 threat is becoming clear: long-term neurological consequences such as brain fog, depression and anxiety. Tom Lane, a Chancellor’s professor of neurobiology and behavior at UCI, has spent two decades studying how coronaviruses neurologically affect mice. In this episode of the UCI Podcast, Lane discusses COVID-19 long haulers, his current mice research on COVID’s impact on the brain, and how people can prevent the disease’s neurological repercussions.

Upcoming events

UC NEWS 

Fireside chat: President Drake and Yvette Gullatt

Tomorrow, the Black Staff and Faculty Organization will culminate its Black History Month festivities with a special event featuring President Michael V. Drake, M.D., in conversation with Yvette Gullatt, Ph.D., vice provost for Diversity and Engagement and interim vice president for Student Affairs. President Drake will share personal insights about his background, passion for Black music and culture, and vision for advancing equity at UCOP and UC.

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.

More California counties move out of most restrictive tier

Five California counties are moving out of the state’s most restrictive COVID-19 tier. The counties moving from the purple tier to the red tier include Humboldt, Marin, San Mateo, Shasta and Yolo.

Newsom signs COVID relief bill

Some relief is on the way for 5.7 million Californians – with each eligible person receiving a $600 dollar one-time payment.

New vaccination super site opens in Rancho Cucamonga

A new COVID-19 super vaccination site has opened at the Inland Empire Health Plan building in Rancho Cucamonga. The site is located at 10801 Sixth Street, and will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Big jump in vaccine supply coming soon

COVID-19 vaccine makers told Congress on Tuesday to expect a big jump in the delivery of doses over the coming month, and the companies insist they will be able to provide enough for most Americans to get inoculated by summer. By the end of March, Pfizer and Moderna expect to have provided the U.S. government with a total of 220 million vaccine doses, up sharply from the roughly 75 million shipped so far.

High school football can begin in Orange County

On Tuesday the case rate for COVID-19 in Orange County dipped to 11.9 per 100,000, below the new threshold of 14 set last week by the California Department of Public Health. That development gave football, along with water polo and several other sports, the green light to begin their seasons.

J&J COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, FDA report finds

The Johnson & Johnson candidate vaccine for COVID-19 raises no safety concerns, according to a report released early Wednesday. A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee is holding an all-day meeting Friday to review the data and is likely to give the vaccine a thumbs up, leading to an expected FDA authorization for the vaccine in adults within the next few days.

Fauci: ‘Possible’ Americans will be wearing masks in 2022

Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday that it’s “possible” Americans will still need to wear masks in 2022 to protect against the coronavirus, even as the US may reach “a significant degree of normality” by the end of this year.

California mutant more contagious

Two studies confirm that a new coronavirus mutant in California is more contagious, although the scale of its threat is unclear.

Almost half of inmates in California’s Corrections system are vaccinated

About 40% of people in the custody of California’s corrections system have received the COVID-19 vaccine.

State issues updated guidance and advisories

  • Sports Guidance: On Feb. 19, the state issued updated guidance for youth and recreational adult sports. The guidance takes effect on Feb. 26 and applies to all organized youth and adult sports, including school and community-sponsored programs, and privately organized clubs and leagues.
  • Employer Portal: California employers now have a one-stop site for finding COVID-19 state and local guidance by business industry. Check out SaferAtWork.covid19.CA.GOV. The site launched Feb. 12 and is designed to assist employers and employees in working together to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
  • Vaccine Dashboard: Check out California’s Vaccination Progress Dashboard for vaccine doses ordered, shipped and administered.

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.

This woman wins for the most hilariously unfortunate pandemic tattoo

A trend going around TikTok asks people to share “the dumbest tattoo that you’ve ever gotten,” and a Kentucky woman has completely taken the cake. She got it done on March 4, 2020. Two days later, Kentucky announced its first case of COVID-19.

The largest pollination event on Earth: California’s almond blossom

The state’s spectacular almond bloom—the largest single pollination event in the world—has begun. Orchards are blooming and honey bees are buzzing. “Californian almond pollination requires billions of honeybees traveling thousands of miles in a nationally coordinated migration,” according to the agriculture information and news sources website Farm Progress.

#UCIconnected

If you have a shoutout, or if you’d like to share what you’ve been up to during the pandemic, send photos and/or words about your activities, workstation, volunteering, etc., to marketing@uci.edu or post on social media with the #UCIconnected hashtag.

EXPOSURE NOTIFICATION

* 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.