Confirmed Case of COVID-19 at UCI

by | Mar 21, 2020 | Announcements

Dear UCI Community:

Last night, we were informed that a non-student resident of UCI’s campus family housing tested positive for COVID-19. The individual returned from an international trip with symptoms and has been resting comfortably in good condition.

In accordance of health privacy laws, we cannot disclose the identity or personal information regarding the individual. We have coordinated with the Orange County Health Care Agency and been in touch with those who may have been exposed through contact.

The risk to the general campus population remains low. As testing becomes more available in the coming weeks, it is likely that we will become aware of additional positive cases within the UCI community. In addition to directly notifying anyone who may be exposed through contact, moving forward, we will notify the campus community through the COVID-19 Latest Updates emails and as aggregate information at UCI’s Coronavirus Information Hub.

As we begin spring break, we remain diligent in our efforts to keep our community safe. Remote learning for Spring quarter is underway and large gatherings have been canceled. Our social-distancing efforts will help our community “flatten the curve” and deploy vital health care resources to those who need it most.

This situation, both locally and globally, continues to evolve. Please refer to our Coronavirus website for important information and updates. You may also contact our Coronavirus Response Center at 949-824-9918 (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.) or covid19@uci.edu if you have any questions or comments.

We understand that the uncertainty and seriousness of this pandemic may cause distress and anxiety for many of us. Assistance is available for those who need it. For students, our counseling center continues to provide services remotely; faculty and staff may use the services of our employee assistance program.

It’s important that we remain diligent in preventing the spread of the virus. Please remember to wash your hands well, cover your mouth with your elbow, stay home if you’re sick, and disinfect surfaces, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We will continue to keep our community updated as new developments occur. In the meantime, please take care of yourself and your loved ones. Your health and security are our primary concern.

Stay Well,

Albert S. Chang, MD, MPH
Medical Director, UCI Student Health Center

Monthly Message from Chancellor Howard Gillman

by | Mar 20, 2020 | Announcements

Monthly Message from Chancellor Howard Gillman

March 2020

To the Anteater community:

As regular readers know, my monthly message normally contains highlights of significant news and events across UCI’s academic, research, and service enterprise. But over the course of this past month UCI – along with the entire world – has had to pivot from business as usual and put in place extraordinary measures to mitigate an extraordinary threat. This message is no exception, and is devoted to one topic: how we are responding to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

The enormity of this health crisis can seem overwhelming. There isn’t an aspect of life that has not been turned upside down in the past few weeks, and we are all coping as best we can. None of us has seen anything like it in our lifetime, and none of us knows how and when things might return to normal. I hope that you are doing well in this brave new world.

Let me start by stressing that there is no confirmed case of any person on campus having contracted COVID-19, but it is reasonable to assume that, at some point, there will be one, so the university has taken prudent steps to lessen the risk.

Among the most important elements of the mitigation effort are minimizing face-to-face interactions, reducing commuting and travel, and increasing social distancing. Accordingly, we have taken measures to reduce the number of students and visitors to campus and to our clinical facilities. I won’t list all the steps we have taken, but the most significant are: all campus instruction is now done remotely; as many staff as possible are now telecommuting to work; many buildings and facilities, including residential facilities on campus, are closing; all events, including our Anteater sports teams, have been canceled or postponed; and we are retaining only limited on-site operations for critical functions.

All these initiatives will remain effective for the immediate future. We are working closely with regional, state and federal agencies and as the situation changes, we will reassess when it is safe to resume our former way of teaching, researching and serving the public good.

I and the other leaders of the university extend our heartfelt gratitude to the many thousands of students, staff, faculty, and visitors who have been accepting these new measures with great good faith. Without your support, this adjustment would have been impossible to achieve and the health of our UCI community would have been threatened. I especially thank our students for so quickly and gracefully shifting to remote learning, especially during Finals Week. I know it’s hard to give up the normal college experience that is part and parcel of attending UCI, and we all look forward to the day when we welcome you back to campus.

That’s a brief overview of the steps we have taken on campus. But what about UCI and Orange County?

UCI has a special role in the life of Orange County as the region’s only combined academic research university and medical center. On any given day, UCI provides world-class education, research and healthcare to more than 50,000 people – the population of a midsized city. It is with this expertise that we are addressing the urgent need for medical services while getting ahead of the spread of disease with new research and education dedicated to keeping all members of the greater community healthy for the long term.

A team of UCI researchers is already working on a COVID-19 therapeutic drug study. Backed by the National Institutes of Health, this clinical trial is considered the first that has possible efficacy and should be ready for patients soon. Other university work is underway to develop tests, treatments and vaccines to help us identify, contain and prevent pandemics.

No other local health system combines such sophisticated clinical expertise in treating illness and keeping people healthy with the research and education designed to prevent disease and train tomorrow’s health professionals. UCI Health and the Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences integrate seamlessly, combining discovery, teaching and healing to keep our community well. Our public health program has taken the lead in educating about prevention and containment. Its tips are included on our information hub, https://uci.edu/coronavirus/.

In addition, since the day this virus was first recognized, UCI Health researchers and medical experts have worked closely with other hospitals and healthcare providers – regionally and across the nation – sharing best practices while staying current with the latest information, treatments and tools. The medical community is pulling together, with UCI Health at the nexus, and Orange County is safer for it.

Our region is fortunate to have one of the world’s finest academic and medical institutions in its backyard, ready to protect the community with the best medical professionals, educators and researchers. Together with our partners throughout the University of California system, we stand ready to serve.

In closing, please take care of yourself and your loved ones. Nothing is more important than the health and wellbeing of those closest to us.

Fiat Lux,

Chancellor Howard Gillman

Governor’s Stay at Home Order

by | Mar 20, 2020 | Announcements

Yesterday, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a stay-at-home order, starting at 11:59 p.m. and remaining in effect until further notice, in an attempt to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The Governor’s order exempts employees performing essential jobs in public agencies such as UCI. Many of you, however, already have approved work-from-home or telecommuting arrangements, as we have already taken steps to move to remote instruction and services. You should continue to work as scheduled, unless you are sick.

Some services are considered absolutely essential under the Governor’s order and require on-site support: Hospital and health care, safety and emergency, critical research and faculty, animal care, IT and building systems, as well as minimized housing, dining and custodial for those who are unable to shelter in permanent residences. Employees in these areas, as well as others determined by leadership, may need to come to their regular work locations, as instructed by their supervisors. Specific details are forthcoming if you are required on-site.

All other functions will be conducted remotely. Events and gatherings of all sizes have been canceled.

We understand that this situation continues to evolve. Because of your commitment and flexibility, our campus has responded quickly, skillfully and proactively. Please visit the Coronavirus information hubs atuci.edu/coronavirus or ucihealth.org/covid-19 for important updates.

Ramona Agrela 
Associate Chancellor / Chief HR Executive

Steve A. N. Goldstein, M.D., Ph.D. 
Vice Chancellor, Health Affairs 
Distinguished Professor, Pediatrics, Physiology & Biophysics

Hal S. Stern, Ph.D. 
Interim Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor 
Chancellor’s Professor, Department of Statistics

Urgent action needed for all UCI travelers outside of the US

by | Mar 20, 2020 | Announcements

The US State Dept. has now restricted ALL international travel with its highest level four warning.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/travel-advisory-alert-global-level-4-health-advisory-issue.html

We need to advise all of our travelers to either return to the US immediately or to stay where they are until guidelines change which could be many months, certainly an indefinite period of time. Please reach out to all of your international travelers at this time with the following information:

  1. Travel guidance –  stay indefinitely in the country where you are now or return to the US immediately
  2. Financial considerations – return to the US  immediately, you may need to sort out reimbursement and insurance later
  1. Airlines are providing some relief for rebooking.
  2. Some personal health insurance plans are covering travel changes for health reasons.
  3. Those who enrolled in the free UC travel program are covered by UC insurance and can make a claim with UCI risk services – contact covid19@uci.edu for more information.
  4. It is possible but not yet decided that everyone on UC business may be covered by the UC travel insurance whether or not they initially signed up for the travel insurance. There is even some advocacy that personal travel should also be covered to prevent anyone in the UC community being stranded. These are not yet decided but please do not let unknowns about costs prevent you from taking care of your health.
  5. Self-quarantine
  1. International travelers should return to their permanent residences for 14 days of quarantine if they are coming back from CDC level 2 or 3 counties. (The list is available at the website: CDC.gov).
  2. If someone does not have any place where they can quarantine for 14 days, UCI housing MAY be an option – please contact covid19@uci.edu to explain your situation.
  1. Covid19@uci.edu is the central point of contact for all UCI travelers and all questions related to covid19 concerns.
  2. The website uci.edu/coronavirus has updates about personal responsibility, UCI support for travelers, and protocols for returning to campus and work.

Victoria Jones, Ph.D.
Chief Global Affairs Officer

UCI Research Shutdown

by | Mar 20, 2020 | Announcements

Dear Colleagues,

In my March 17, 2020 message to UCI’s research community, I informed you of the need to ramp down and curtail UCI’s research activities.  Now, with Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-33-20 (EO), all individuals living in the State of California are required to stay home or at their place of residence until further notice “to preserve the public health and safety, and to ensure the healthcare delivery system is capable of serving all, and prioritizing those at the highest risk and vulnerability…”

The EO also clarifies that people may leave their homes or places of residence to report to work for an essential job. Conducting critical research is an essential job.

Because the health and safety of faculty, staff, and students is UCI’s top priority, I am writing clarify what the EO means for UCI’s research enterprise, and to update and expand upon the information contained in my March 17 message.  Above all, and to be abundantly clear, the expectation of UCI’s leadership is that everyone in the research community consistently follow the below guidelines.

Non-Critical Research

The following applies to all non-critical research carried out on the Irvine or Orange campuses, or at facilities at other locations that are owned, leased, rented or accessed by UCI:

  • Research activities that cannot be carried out at home must be halted by 11:59 pm today.
  • Research activities that can be carried out at home (with or without telecommuting) should continue to the greatest extent possible.
  • When carrying out non-critical research at home, each team member must work from their own home/residence.  All communications between team members must be conducted by phone or other electronic means.
  • Computers, storage devices, lab notebooks and papers may be removed from laboratories to facilitate working from home.
  • Office supplies used in the course of research may be taken home only for the purpose of conducting UCI research and business.
  • Under no circumstances should specimens, animals, research supplies (other than office supplies used in the course of research), equipment, instruments, etc. be removed from laboratories without the prior approval of the cognizant dean or research unit director (as applicable) and the Vice Chancellor for Research (or designee).
  • Designate a primary and backup emergency contact for each research group.  With prior approval of the PI or Lead Research, these individuals may access the group’s research space periodically, but not frequently, to check on the status of the lab/space and equipment, as well as troubleshoot any problems reported by research group members (e.g., rebooting computers, etc.).  While doing so, they should exceed the social distancing guidelines and clean high-touch surfaces to the extent possible.  Emergency contacts must not conduct non-critical research in the research space while the EO is in effect.
  • Ensure that up-to-date emergency contact information for each research space is posted on all doors leading to the space.

Critical Research

A detailed definition of critical research can be found on the Critical Research definition page on the Research Continuity website. The following applies to all critical research carried out on the Irvine or Orange campuses, or at facilities at other locations that are owned, leased, rented or accessed by UCI:

  • To conduct critical research during EO effective period, Principal Investigators (PIs) and Lead Researchers (LRs) must obtain approval for critical research from their cognizant dean or research unit director.  Deans and Directors are setting up review processes for such approvals. We expect very few exceptions will be granted.
  • Critical research activities must be conducted in a manner to ensure that the human physical distance between employees exceeds the social distancing guidelines.

Human Subjects Research

Non-critical human subject research activities that cannot be carried out with both the researcher in their own home and the subject in their own home must be halted by 11:59 pm today.  Human research that is non-critical and can be carried out from home must comply with the requirements noted in the Non-Critical Research section above.

The general guidance posted on the Research Continuity website under the Human Research Protections section remains current for critical research, but is subject to change as circumstances evolve, so please check back frequently.

Domestic and International Field Research and Research at Sea

Research activities currently being carried out in the field must be halted unless the research team can ensure that the human physical distance between team members will consistently exceed the social distancing guidelines.  In the case that research is halted, the PI is responsible for ensuring social distancing is practiced to the maximum extent practicable when traveling back to UCI.

Research activities currently being carried out at sea should continue for the duration of the voyage, but the PI is responsible for ensuring that the research team members practice social distancing to the maximum extent practicable.  To the extent applicable, researchers returning from sea must also observe CDC travel guidelines.

Field research and research at sea that has not yet commenced must be postponed until further notice.

Students and Postdocs

  • Faculty and PIs/LRs are encouraged to work creatively with students to ensure they can remain on track for graduation despite disruption to research activities.
  • Undergraduate student, graduate students and postdocs are not and cannot be mandated to serve as essential personnel.
  • Students or postdocs have the right to refuse to conduct critical research.
  • Students and postdocs should follow the guidelines established by their department, school and UCI leadership regarding whether they should remain on campus or stay at home.

Laboratory Ramp-Down Checklist

The Laboratory Ramp-Down Checklist should be used to prepare for halting non-critical research and preparing to minimizing activities associated with critical research.

Research Personnel Health and Safety

PIs and Lead Researchers (LR) must require that all research personnel work from home if feasible.  They are also responsible for ensuring that all essential personnel under their direction follow the social distancing guidelines.  For critical research, PIs and LRs are responsible for reducing the density of people working in their research space.

Any researcher (regardless of their position or rank) must not come to work if they are sick.  This includes essential personnel, which is why redundancy in all aspects of preparedness planning (and especially in communication plans) is vitally important.  Be sure to establish a system by which research team members can and will check the status of each other.  We must look after not only our physical health, but also consider mental health and the impact that a pandemic event can have on our most valuable asset – the immensely creative and dedicated people that make up UCI’s research community.

COVID-19 Related Expenses

To the extent your lab incurs COVID-19 related expenses, please ensure that your lab staff requests funding for and codes those expenses as indicated by DFA.

Contacts

Please direct questions regarding how the above actions may impact research to the following:

Stay Informed

To be consistent with the Executive Order, this ramp down and curtailment period will last until further notice.  Please visit the UCI Coronavirus website for important updates about COVID-19 and the status of UCI operations. Please continue to monitor your e-mail and regularly visit the Research Continuity website for updates regarding the status of Office of Research operations, as well as general guidance to the research community.

Now, more than ever, we must make difficult decisions regarding our research, but they are made easier knowing that we are doing our part to “flatten the curve” to disrupt the SARS-CoV-2 virus and to help prevent our healthcare delivery system from being overwhelmed.

I greatly appreciate all that you are doing to protect our collective health and safety.

Sincerely,

Pramod Khargonekar, Ph.D.
Vice Chancellor for Research
Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science

Pramod Khargonekar, Ph.D.
Vice Chancellor for Research
Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science