Oct. 1 - Testing the vaccinated, emergency preparedness
Section 1
Don’t forget your lock: Though bike racks are near the Infinity Fountain, their numbers are not infinite. Photo by Steve Zylius/UCI
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 answered by David Souleles, director of UCI’s COVID-19 Response Team:
Why are vaccinated employees tested for COVID-19 even if they don’t have symptoms?
Surveillance testing is an additional important source of information to learn about the rate of breakthrough cases in our community. Just about every peer campus is carrying out some level of surveillance testing. Our asymptomatic testing program impacts only a small fraction of our community each week; we are starting with a sampling rate that would have each employee tested less than once per quarter on average. To provide accurate data for the community, it is important that the program include all employees who are working on campus, even those who are primarily remote.
For more about the COVID-19 testing program, visit the employee testing website. If you have questions or require support, contact the UCI COVID Response Center at 949-824-9918 (or x49918), Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
UCI ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS
Returning to Campus: Emergency Management
Emergency Management helps ensure the UCI community is prepared to respond to and recover from any emergency or disaster. Visit https://em.uci.edu/ for more information on emergency response procedures and resources to help you prepare.
Annual security and fire safety reports available
The 2021 UCI and UCI Health Medical Center Annual Security Report, coordinated by the UCI Police Department, includes information about crime prevention and reporting; emergency response and evacuation; emergency notifications; timely warnings; alcohol, drug and weapon policies; security and safety policy information; sexual violence prevention; and other topics. The 2021 UCI Annual Fire Safety Report, coordinated by UCI Environmental Health & Safety, includes information on fire safety policies and fire safety systems as well as statistics for years 2018, 2019 and 2020 for fires that occurred in UCI on-campus student housing facilities. Paper copies of these reports are available upon request by calling the UCI Police Department at 949-824-1885 or visiting 100 Public Services Building.
UC NEWS AND GENERAL NEWS
Friday fun fact
UC manages more than 5,700 programs to improve the academic skills of K-12 and community college students across California.
California to require COVID-19 vaccines for all eligible students
The first such mandate in the U.S. will take effect once the U.S. Food and Drug Administration grants full approval of a vaccine for people age 12 and over, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Merck says experimental pill cuts worst COVID-19 effects
Merck & Co. and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP say their pill helped prevent high-risk people early in the course of the disease in a pivotal study from becoming seriously ill and dying. This represents a big step toward providing the pandemic’s first easy-to-use, at-home treatment.
More U.S. parents willing to vaccinate their children, survey finds
The 34% of parents supporting vaccinating their children is up from 26% in July.
EVENTS
Dealing with Disruptive or Distressed Students
Monday, noon (sponsored by HR Wellness)
Microsoft Teams Training
Tuesday, 11 a.m. (sponsored by Staff Assembly)
Bystander Intervention Training: Step Up! UCI
Tuesday, noon (sponsored by HR Wellness)
Getting Started With Managing Your Data
Tuesday, 1 p.m. (sponsored by UCI Libraries)
COVID-19: Rising to New Challenges
Tuesday, 5 p.m. (sponsored by UCI Public Health)
Sting in the Tale: Art, Hoax and Provocation
Tuesday, 5 p.m. (sponsored by UCI Illuminations)
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
Can you get your COVID booster (or regular COVID vaccine) and flu shot at the same time? Here's what doctors say
Parade, Sept. 28
Cited: Jonathan H. Watanabe, associate dean of assessment and quality and professor of clinical pharmacy
New program allows incarcerated students to get bachelor’s degrees alongside peers on the outside
Cal Matters, Oct. 1
Cited: UCI (starting the program in 2022)
Schools embrace esports for career and connection
WXYZ (Scripps Media), Sept. 30
Cited: Connected Learning Lab
#UCICONNECTED
Someone is happy about move-in day. Photo by @sunnyside.shots
Photo contest deadline countdown: 4 days
Through Tuesday, Anteater students, faculty, staff and alumni are encouraged to enter the UCI Landmark photo contest for a chance to win a gift card to @thehillatuci and a spot on the UCI Instagram feed. To enter, post your pics on social media from any of the Top 10 campus landmarks listed below with #UCIPride or submit via email. The landmark sites are:
- Water Tower (BC Anteater/UCI Athletics)
- Student Center
- Infinity Fountain
- Bronze Anteater (Bren Center)
- Esports Arena
- Aldrich Park
- Maya Lin Water Table
- Langson Library
- Science Library
- Jao Sculpture garden
#UCIconnected spotlights student, alumni, faculty and staff photos, essays, shoutouts, hobbies, artwork, unusual office decorations, activities and more. Send submissions via email or post on social media with the #UCIconnected hashtag.
COVID-19 NOTIFICATION AND RESOURCES
4 new campus cases
One employee and three students tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday. For more information, visit the UCI COVID-19 dashboard.
Remember to upload 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.