Dec. 15 - Pandemic and presents, farming in Anaheim
Section 1
A rainbow emerges in the ARC fields near the UCI barn and yurt. Photo by Ian Parker
UCI ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS
Reminder: Compliance deadline is Jan. 3
Students entering winter quarter must meet vaccine compliance or request for exception by Jan. 3 to avoid holds on records, enrollment, wifi access, disciplinary action.
Navigating COVID-19 this holiday season
To help you prepare for the holidays with friends and family, UCI Health presents a primer where Dr. Susan Huang, medical director of epidemiology and infection prevention, breaks down vaccines, boosters, testing and gathering indoors vs. outdoors as the delta and omicron variants persist.
Learning lab teaches students about food insecurity, environmental justice and best farming practices
Sabina Giakoumis is running out of room on her business card. Besides being an adjunct professor in the School of Education’s MAT + Credential program and a biology teacher at Magnolia High School in Anaheim, Giakoumis is a farmer. She is leading the development of what is formally known as the Magnolia Agriscience Community Center, which feeds the minds and bellies of students and parents in the Anaheim Union High School District.
UC NEWS AND GENERAL NEWS
President Drake encourages UC community to get boosters
UC President Michael V. Drake issued a statement encouraging members of the UC community to get a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they're eligible. “Although there is still much we don't know about the omicron variant, public health officials have made clear that the variant has the potential to spread quickly,” Drake says.
California Department of Public Health updated travel guidance
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All travelers arriving in or returning to California from other states or countries should follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention travel guidance.
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All travelers arriving in or returning to California from other states or countries should test 3-5 days upon arrival per CDPH travel guidance.
Omicron could bring punishing wave of infections next month, CDC warns
Top federal health officials warned in a briefing Tuesday that the omicron variant is rapidly spreading in the United States and could peak in a massive wave of infections as soon as January, according to new modeling analyzed by the CDC. The prevalence of omicron jumped sevenfold in a single week, according to the CDC.
Has COVID caused a California exodus?
A study released today found no big exodus of people leaving California for other states during the pandemic. But the Golden State is still losing population to domestic migration, because fewer people than usual are moving in from other parts of the United States.
EVENTS
Blood drive (by appointment), Friday, 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. (sponsored by UCI Health)
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
Note: Some news sites require subscriptions to read articles. The UCI Libraries offer free subscriptions to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Orange County Register and The Washington Post for students, faculty and staff.
The 50 Best Books of Literary Journalism of the 21st Century
GQ, Dec. 9
Cited: Héctor Tobar, associate professor of Chicano/Latino studies, English and literary journalism
Hydra DNA Reveals There’s More Than One Way to Regrow a Head
The New York Times, Dec. 11
Cited: Ali Mortazavi, professor of developmental and cell biology
Conversations: "Frequently Asked Questions About the Universe"
KPR (audio), Dec. 14
Guest: Daniel Whiteson, professor of physics & astronomy
#UCICONNECTED
From Instagram/ucicounselingctr (UCI Counseling Center): Holiday Self-Care: Learn to say “no.” You don’t have to do or be perfect. Put the focus on doing what you can do and setting good boundaries.
#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.