June 8 - Updates on COVID-19
Section 1
Dr. Khanh-Van Le-Bucklin, Vice Dean, Medical Education speaks at the School of Medicine commencement last Saturday. Steve Zylius/UCI
TODAY’S CAMPUS UPDATES
UCI to host virtual commencement June 12, with chance to walk stage over next 5 days
Nearly 7,500 graduates and their families will participate in UCI’s remote commencement ceremonies on Saturday, June 12. At least 6,801 students have also registered for in-person “graduate stage moments,” available between June 13 and 17, and about 200 of those who’ve earned advanced degrees will be hooded during their in-person stage moments.
Employees asked to upload COVID-19 vaccinations
As we work together toward reopening our campus in the fall, we ask those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 to please upload proof of vaccination.
Parking update
Parking fees will resume over the summer to support the campus’s efforts to return to full operational capacity. Beginning July 1, discounted monthly general parking (C/CI, S) permit rates for faculty, staff and students will be implemented. Updates are being made in myCommute to accommodate the discounted rates. Detailed information on permit sales as well as sustainable transportation options will be provided via email on June 15.
Students who are vaccinated no longer required to do asymptomatic testing
For on-campus students who are fully vaccinated, and have uploaded your vaccination to the Student Health Portal, it’s no longer necessary to continue with our asymptomatic testing program given the efficacy of the vaccine. However, you should continue to complete your Daily Symptom Check, and if you are experiencing any symptoms, we encourage you to contact the UCI Student Health Center or your primary care physician.
Vaccine questions answered
Contact Tracing and Vaccine Navigation Services (CTNVS) is available to employees and students - including international students – to help with COVID-19 vaccine questions or assistance. For help, call the center at 949-824-2300 or email them at contacttracing@uci.edu.
New campus cases*
No student residents or on-campus employees tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. For more information, visit the UCI COVID-19 dashboard.
UCI COVID-19 NEWS AND EVENTS
Phishing attacks leave everyone vulnerable; Duo can help
If you haven’t done so yet, it’s time to enroll in Duo multi-factor authentication. Duo is being required for all UCI students, and enabling this tool now means you won’t have to worry about any disruptions to your UCI account access in the future. The setup is quick, easy and well worth the long-term protection it provides.
UCI Podcast: Why curiosity, integrity, humility and tenacity contribute to a good life
Cultivating core intellectual virtues can help anyone — not just college students — develop habits of mind that enable them to act with empathy in a chaotic world and to decipher the truth in an internet landscape littered with misinformation. At UCI, students can hone these virtues through the Anteater Virtues Project, an online course created by Distinguished Professor of Philosophy Duncan Pritchard. In this episode of the UCI Podcast, Professor Pritchard discusses the benefits of inculcating these intellectual virtues, and how they can even help students succeed academically, regardless of what they’re studying.
#IamUCI: Uyen Thanh Mai, B.S. public health sciences, minors in philosophy and international studies
The daughter of Vietnamese refugees, Uyen Thanh Mai grew up learning about the difficulties her family faced as a result of the Vietnam War. With the help of humanitarian organizations and government assistance, her family was able to start a new life in the U.S. Mai hopes to use her combined public health, philosophy and international studies expertise to provide the same support to other groups in vulnerable positions. After she graduates, Mai plans to pursue graduate studies in bioethics and then would like to earn an M.D.-Ph.D. to become a physician and conduct research that will help the global community achieve happiness and well-being.
Upcoming events
- Managing Worry and Anxiety, Thursday, 12 noon (sponsored by HR/Wellness)
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, OC Register and Washington Post for students, faculty and staff.
Orange County's COVID-19 numbers continue downward trend
Orange County's encouraging COVID-19 trends continue, with just 19 new infections reported Monday and the number of patients in intensive care dropping below 10.
California has low level of community spread
California is one of only two states considered to have low levels of community coronavirus transmission. The CDC categorizes low transmission as when a state’s seven-day case rate is under 10 per 100,000 residents and its rate of positive test results is less than 5%. Among all 50 states, only California and Vermont meet both those benchmarks, federal figures show.
Pfizer to test smaller doses of its COVID-19 vaccine in children
Pfizer announced it will trial smaller doses of its COVID-19 vaccine for children 11 years old. The company said it is moving to a Phase 2/3 trial, and plans to enroll up to 4,500 children across 90 sites in the U.S., Finland, Poland and Spain.
Just 13 states have met White House goal of vaccinating 70% of adults by July 4
Washington became the latest state to reach this threshold, joining California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont, according to data published Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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.
Puppies are born ready to interact with people
There is a reason puppies steal your heart from the moment you meet them. According to new research, puppies are practically born ready to interact with people. "Puppies will look at and return a person's social gaze and successfully use information given by that person in a social context from a very young age, all prior to any extensive experience with people," says Emily Bray, the lead author of the study.
#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 COVID-19 vaccination, activities, workstation, volunteering, etc., to marketing@uci.edu or post on social media with the #UCIconnected hashtag.