Jan. 7 - Remote instruction extended through Jan. 28, free at-home tests for employees
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Not everyone is aware that UCI instruction is remote through Jan. 28. Photo by Steve Zylius / UCI
UCI ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS
Chancellor extends remote instruction through Jan. 28
Administrators announced just before the December holiday break that UCI would shift to remote learning for the first two weeks of the winter quarter (Jan. 3-14) and then assess when a return to campus would be prudent. “Unfortunately, the results of our testing to date, combined with regional data on disease transmission and public health modeling of what is likely to happen over the next few weeks, convince me that it would be impractical to return to in-person instruction, as we had hoped, on Jan. 18,” writes Chancellor Howard Gillman in a message to the Anteater community. “Accordingly, I am extending the period of remote instruction through Friday, Jan. 28. Based on current information I believe we will be able to resume in-person instruction on Monday, Jan. 31, and given the high value that we all place on a return to in-person instruction, students and faculty should plan on that being the date where we pivot from remote to in-person.”
Click for larger version of map to kiosk for free at-home COVID test kits.
UCI provides faculty and staff at-home test kits starting today at noon
Realizing the difficulty in obtaining at-home COVID-19 tests at this time, UCI is supplying all campus employees with two at-home antigen tests. Distribution begins today (Friday, Jan. 7) from noon to 5 p.m. and continues Monday, Jan. 10, through Friday, Jan. 14, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., while supplies last. Get your kits at the kiosk off West Peltason Drive between Campus and Pereira drives, adjacent to the Mesa Court housing parking lot. Follow the directional signage. On-campus testing will also continue.
Instructions on isolation and quarantine/instrucciones sobre aislamiento y cuarentena
Snug fitting face coverings such as surgical masks recommended
The executive directive requiring face coverings be worn when indoors on UCI property continues. As information and data related to the omicron variant continues to change, the Anteater community is encouraged to evaluate the quality of their face coverings. California Department of Public Health guidance recommends that a snug-fitting covering such as a surgical mask is effective for fit and good filtration. An FAQ on face coverings answers many commonly asked questions. Masking as well as boosters, at-home tests, in-person instruction and managing the surge are covered in today’s return-to-campus update.
Social scientists offer research-backed life hacks for happier, healthier 2022
It's a new year and with it comes the ritual of resolutions. For those still looking for ideas, a trio of UCI social scientists offer research-backed life hacks for making meaningful improvements in 2022.
UC NEWS AND GENERAL NEWS
Friday fun fact
Strong in STEM: 54% of undergraduate and 60% of graduate students are enrolled in STEM degree programs.
Global COVID-19 cases hit 300-million mark
In late January 2020 only a few dozen COVID-19 infections had been identified outside of China. A year later, the world tallied its first 100 million cases. It took the globe just seven more months to pass the 200 million mark—then another five months to hit 300 million, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University.
Fourth vaccine dose could be needed in fall, Moderna CEO
The vaccine maker’s chief executive says that especially front-line workers and those 50 and older are likely to need a second booster dose in the fall as their antibody levels wane. Stéphane Bancel added that those who received booster shots this past fall are likely to have significant protection through winter.
FDA shortens wait time for Moderna booster to 5 months
The period between getting the Moderna vaccine and the first booster shot has been shortened from six months for people ages 18 and up, the Food and Drug Administration announced today.
How climate change and the pandemic are transforming skiing
There’s a boom in one corner of the ski world that’s being driven, at least in part, by a combination of climate change and the pandemic. The unexpected upturn shows how skiers are adapting to the dual crises and how one winter sport is evolving as snow cover declines around the world.
EVENTS
Summer Research Opportunities
Tuesday, 4 p.m. (sponsored by Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program)
Introduction to Diabetes Prevention Program
Tuesday, 5:30 p.m. (sponsored by HR Wellness)
LinkedIn & Resume Building Workshop with the Princeton Review
Tuesday, 7 p.m. (sponsored by Cognitive Science Association)
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.
Confused By The CDC's New COVID Isolation Rules? Here's A Clear Guide.
Huffington Post, Jan. 7
Cited: Bernadette Boden-Albala, director and founding dean, Program in Public Health
How to Help a Loved One Through Sudden Loss
The New York Times, Jan. 7
Cited: Roxane Cohen Silver, vice provost, academic planning and institutional research and Distinguished Professor of psychological science, medicine and public health
Tech giants banned Trump. But did they censor him?
The Washington Post, Jan. 7
Cited: David Kaye, clinical professor of law, director, International Justice Clinic & co-director, Fair Elections and Free Speech Center