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.

March 1 - Updates on COVID-19

Section 1

Freezer at UCI Health that keeps COVID vaccine chilled

The arctic freezer that keeps UCI Health’s COVID vaccine supply properly chilled.

TODAY'S CAMPUS UPDATES

Vaccination update: a pay stub may be needed

UCI employees seeking COVID-19 shots over the weekend reported that an employment verification letter may not be considered sufficient proof of eligibility at some vaccination sites. They suggest also bringing a government-issued ID to verify residency and a pay stub to back up the verification letter.

Tell us your COVID storiesMegaphone

What have you learned or how have you changed since the pandemic began? Did you start a new hobby, reach a personal epiphany, wrestle with loss, or find a silver lining? March 11 will mark one year since the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a global pandemic. As the anniversary approaches, we’d like to hear your most memorable stories, lessons and anecdotes. Please send memories and/or photos you’d like us to consider publishing to marketing@uci.edu or post on social media with the #UCIconnected hashtag.

Two new campus cases*

One student and one campus employee tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend (Friday through Sunday). For more information, visit the UCI COVID-19 dashboard.

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.

California eyes new incentive program to reopen schools

Gov. Newsom and legislative leaders struck a deal Sunday to give school districts $2 billion in incentives to resume in-person instruction for students in transitional kindergarten through second grade by April 1. But the agreement stops short of mandating that schools reopen. In a related story, CalMatters explains who has the power to reopen schools.

House relief bill would give $40 billion to colleges

The House of Representatives passed a coronavirus relief bill on Saturday that would pump about $40 billion in direct aid to U.S. colleges and universities.

Tracking cases at colleges and universities

Since Jan. 1, more than 120,000 COVID infections have been linked to U.S. colleges and universities.

J&J becomes third approved vaccine in U.S.

Over the weekend, the FDA issued emergency use authorization for the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. This first shipments will be delivered to states, tribes, territories, pharmacies and health centers as early as Tuesday morning.

Thousands who died from virus remembered at OC museum

In a new art installation at the Orange County Museum of Art, people dropped off hand-made felt roses to create a river of flowers memorializing those who have died from COVID-19.

By the numbers

About 51 million Americans (15% of the population) have received one or both vaccine doses as of today, according to the Washington Post’s shot tracker. Over the last week, an average of 1.74 million doses per day were administered, a 27% increase over the week before.

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.

SNL lampoons vaccine rollout

In the show’s opening skit, Dr. Anthony Fauci, played by Kate McKinnon, hosts a game show called “So You Think You Can Get the Vaccine,” which pokes fun at rollout snafus and politicians from both parties.

#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.