Sept. 8 - Return to campus dialogue series, facilities town hall recap
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Samueli Health Sciences building under construction - sunrise photo. Photo by Ian Parker
Each day, a UCI expert will answer one of your questions about COVID-19, vaccinations, variants or the future of work. Submit questions via email.
Today’s question is fielded by UCI Health:
If breakthrough disease can occur with the delta variant, why should I be vaccinated?
There are many reasons you should be vaccinated, even with reports of breakthrough infection with the delta variant.
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First, vaccination is the only protection you have after you’ve been exposed and the virus enters your body through your eyes, nose or open mouth. Vaccination gives you an army in your body that is ready to fight any COVID-19 virus that enters. This includes both antibodies and fighter cells that recognize the virus and attack it. This is why vaccinated people are far less likely to become infected with delta virus (about one third as likely as unvaccinated persons).
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Second, because vaccinated persons are less likely to become ill, they protect those around them. While vaccinated persons can become ill and shed a lot of virus, it remains to be seen whether the virus that vaccinated people shed may be less contagious than the virus shed by unvaccinated ill persons.
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Third, vaccination provides near perfect protection against severe disease, including hospitalization and death. The truth is no one thinks they are going to get severe disease until it happens. The vaccine protects you from the worst kinds of outcomes from this virus.
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Finally, vaccination can be very convenient. More and more workplaces, performances and social events are requiring proof of vaccination.
CAMPUS UPDATES
2021 Fall return to Campus Dialogue Series
Campus Dialogues: 2021 Fall Return to Campus Series is a five-part virtual dialogue with campus experts and leaders sharing resources, tools and campus preparations to the Anteater community for the return to in-person teaching, learning and working. Topics such as air ventilation, hybrid conference rooms, in-person instruction, campus protocols, work/life balance and more will be covered in the series, which culminates with a Chancellor’s fall welcome.
Town hall recap: Facilities and Environmental Health
In a webinar hosted Friday by Environmental Health & Safety, experts discussed prevention and safety measures implemented at campus facilities for the return to campus this fall quarter. You can visit the EH&S website for detailed information. A link to a recording of the webinar is available.
UCI ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS
UCI Libraries to return to normal access to print general collections
With the majority of the UCI community returning to campus this fall, UCI Libraries will end HathiTrust ETAS and resume providing access to the Libraries’ entire print general collections. The end date for HathiTrust ETAS access at UCI, Sept. 10, was chosen because this date falls after the end of exams for the last summer session in 2021 and prior to the start of fall quarter. If you are unsure whether you will continue to have access to specific resources in HathiTrust that you had planned to use after ETAS access ends, please contact your subject librarian or send an email.
Share your student on-campus employment opportunities
The Division of Career Pathways invites you to submit your student on-campus employment opportunities by Sept. 15. DCS will share the resulting list with students who are returning to campus and seeking student employment. Information will be shared through the DCP website, weekly newsletter, social media channels, Welcome Week programs and email announcements.
UC NEWS AND GENERAL NEWS
Open enrollment
Open Enrollment begins on Oct. 28. Read this preview about a couple of important changes — including a new enrollment deadline (Friday, Nov. 19) and a new pharmacy benefit manager for some plans.
EVENTS
Alzheimer’s From All Angles
Friday, 8 a.m. (co-sponsored by UCI MIND)
Navigating the New Hybrid Work Environment
Friday, 1 p.m. (sponsored by human resources)
Visit today.uci.edu to see and submit event listings. Events of general interest will be shared in UCI Digest two days before they occur.
UCI IN THE NEWS
What does it mean to be American? How 9/11 changed one Queens family.
The Christian Science Monitor, Sept. 7
Cited: Dana Rose Garfin, assistant professor of nursing and public health
UCI awarded $11-million grant to improve digital technologies for children
Daily Pilot, Sept. 7
UC Irvine announced Tuesday a five-year, nearly $11-million grant from the Zurich-based Jacobs Foundation for the creation of a collaborative network to help tailor digital technologies for children.
America-The Unsafe
Forbes, Sept. 8
Contributor: Douglas Haynes, vice chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion
COVID-19 NOTIFICATION AND RESOURCES
No new campus cases
No new on-campus cases were reported Tuesday. For more information, visit the UCI COVID-19 dashboard.
Remember to upload your vaccine record
Vaccination is a critical step toward our campus's fall return. Help our community by uploading your vaccine record.
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.
For COVID-19 questions
UCI Forward - information on campus status and operational updates
UCI Health COVID-19 Updates - important information related to UCI Health
UCI Coronavirus Response Center - available at covid19@uci.edu or via phone at (949) 824-9918
Contact Tracing and Vaccine Navigation Services - assistance with vaccines and vaccine uploads; available at contacttracing@uci.edu or via phone at (949) 824-2300
Program in Public Health chatline - answers to questions about COVID-19
For questions specific to your personal health situation, please contact your doctor or healthcare provider.