Public Health in Action: COVID-19

by | Mar 4, 2020 | Announcements

Public Health in Action: COVID-19

It has been more than three months since we first heard about a mysterious virus spreading rapidly in China. Since then, we’ve all been under a lot of pressure, first watching, and then worrying, about COVID-19. Words like pandemic and epidemic sound scary, but studying, preparing for, responding to, and advocating for those most impacted by diseases—infectious as well as non-communicable—is what we do in public health. Public health is about taking action that protects the health and well-being of all populations.

Here at the UCI Program in Public Health, we decided early to put our energy into fact-finding, stomping out misinformation, and providing useful information, education, tools, and resources to our community. We focused on training a team of more than 80 young public health ambassadors to “spread the word, not the virus,” through our Public Health Pop-Up: Coronavirus. We provided education about best practices for preventing the spread of viral illnesses; posted educational signs in campus buildings; and installed a mobile sink near Student Center to demonstrate best hand-washing practices. Even Peter the Anteater got in on the action!

Learn proper hand-washing techniques to prevent the spread of viral illnesses with Peter the Anteater.
This fun and informative video will be running on all the UCI Health waiting room screens. As part of our Public Health Pop-Up effort, we conducted more than 2,000 surveys on campus. Initial results show that students are cautious and concerned but looking forward to more information and that uptake of knowledge about skills for preventing the spread of viruses, including handwashing, has increased.

Recently, I recorded a UCI podcast about considerations for reducing your risk of exposure to the virus if you plan to travel. Several of our public health faculty members have also been quoted in the news on a variety of topics related to COVID-19. Associate Professor Andrew Noymer talked with Fortune about the challenges for the news media in effectively reporting epidemiological data. Assistant Professor Ted Gideonse spoke with the Washington Post about potential snowball effects of a hoax perpetuated by several police departments nationwide claiming methamphetamine was contaminated with the virus. On CNN Health, Assistant Professor Daniel Parker cautioned readers about the effectiveness of DIY hand sanitizer. We also participated in a public affairs forum, providing local and regional elected officials with facts and information to help them answer important questions from their constituents about this global phenomenon.

A key to any effective public health response is teamwork at all levels. Since the very first days of COVID-19, UCI leadership has been committed to supporting students, faculty, and staff across campus. From Chancellor Gillman and Provost Lavernia; to Dr. Albert Chang and the Student Health Center; to our colleagues at Environmental Health and Safety, the Center for Student Wellness and Health Promotion, Strategic Communications, and the Counseling Center; to our enthusiastic undergraduate and graduate student ambassadors; and many others, we have all been working in partnership to provide consistent messages, information, and resources to students and staff. We have remained in close contact with the Orange County Health Care Agency and government representatives for our area.

Earlier this week, on Monday, March 2, as millions of college students nationwide prepared for upcoming spring break travel, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finally released guidance for administrators of institutions of higher education. I am proud that our outstanding university recognized early on the implications of the potential outbreak for our community and acted quickly to address fears, concerns, and questions among students, parents, employees, alumni, and other members of our UCI family—not just to prevent the spread of viral illness but to address the myriad other issues that arise in such situations, including stigma and mental and emotional stress. UCI has stayed ahead of the curve by continuously making accessible the necessary tools and resources to ensure our community is prepared. We will continue to remain alert and vigilant and to practice proper anti-viral measures.

If you want to stay up to date on developments related to COVID-19, here are a few additional resources that we at the Program in Public Health recommend:
UCI Environmental Health & Safety
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
World Health Organization
Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins (GIS tracking)
U.S. Department of State (travel information)
UCI Podcast with Dr. Albert Chang, Medical Director of UCI Student Health (COVID-19 issues, misconceptions, and advice)
UCI Podcast with Douglas Haynes, Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (inclusivity and cultural and racial awareness and concerns related to COVID-19)

Stay healthy!

Bernadette Boden-Albala, MPH, DrPH
Director and Founding Dean, Program in Public Health

Preparedness for COVID-19

by | Mar 3, 2020 | Announcements

A message from Chancellor Howard Gillman

Dear UCI community,

I’m writing to assure you that your health, well-being and academic excellence are our top priorities here at UCI. Since mid-January, a dedicated team on campus and at UCI Health has engaged daily in COVID-19 preparedness activities. The dynamic situation makes it challenging to predict what to expect as the virus’s reach spreads.

We are staying current by operating in lockstep with recommendations from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Campus leaders are in constant contact with the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) and the UC Office of the President.

This preparedness work is no small task, but it’s built on a great foundation developed from past epidemics such as the measles and SARS. Among the on-campus preparedness activities are:

  • Direct collaboration and partnership among campus, UCI Health and OCHCA to ensure aligned processes and clear communication
  • Support for students whose main residence is on campus and/or who are unable to return home for any reason during this impacted time.
    This includes:
    • A new patient intake and screening process to enhance identification and services at the Student Health Center
    • Quarantine and isolation plans for student campus housing
    • Alternative and remote course delivery methods
  • Identification of and outreach to students, faculty and staff who are abroad and may be in affected areas
  • Increased custodial services in large gathering areas such as lecture halls and dining facilities
  • Alternative work options and business continuity plans
  • Training of medical professionals and first responders on the screening of potentially exposed patients and the use of personal protective equipment
  • New practices for staff at the Employee Experience Center to manage questions based on individual situations

News reports and social media are raising anxiety levels in all of us. If you need help in managing the stress and concerns, know that the Counseling Center is open to all students, and employees may find guidance through the Employee Assistance Program. Together, we can ensure the peace of mind of our community.

For those who have travel plans during the upcoming spring break, please be sure to check the latest CDC travel guidelines and be aware of potential restrictions on your return. Bernadette Boden-Albala, dean of public health, recently recorded an informative podcast on traveling during difficult times.

Thank you for your continued commitment to observing these simple tips to help stay well:

  • Always wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol
  • Cover your mouth with your elbow when you cough
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces often
  • If you are sick, stay home and do not travel

I am grateful to Dr. Albert Chang and Dr. Bill Wilson for their campus and medical center leadership, respectively, and dedication to our students, patients and community. We are fortunate to have world-class infectious disease and public health researchers at UCI and clinicians at UCI Health – all of whom are determined to mitigate the spread of this virus.

Please stay abreast of the latest communications from UCI at the COVID-19 webpage.

Thank you for your commitment to sharing accurate information and your support in protecting the UCI community.

Chancellor Howard Gillman

www.chancellor.uci.edu

Follow up on Maintaining Educational Continuity in the Context of the Coronavirus

by | Mar 3, 2020 | Announcements

From: Michael Dennin – Vice Provost, Teaching & Learning and Dean, Division of Undergraduate Education
To: All UCI Academics
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2020 1:33 PM
Subject: Follow up on Maintaining Educational Continuity in the Context of the Coronavirus

In preparation for potential situations in which members of our campus community become ill or under quarantine, the campus is planning for maintaining educational continuity. The Division of Teaching Excellence and Innovation (DTEI) has a number of resources to support faculty and units, including three general events and a webinar series. A follow up email will provide a detailed schedule and instructions for registration.

General Event – Conversations on Teaching and Continuity during Unplanned Events and Emergencies

This event is an opportunity to have structured conversations between faculty and the DTEI staff that will include the following topics and more:

  • Alternatives to holding class in person
  • Maintaining communication with students
  • Creating alternative assignments and exams
  • Facilitating discussions and presentations remotely

Schedule:

  • 10–11 a.m., Thursday, March 5 via Zoom – https://zoom.us/j/3482195592
  • 2–3:30 p.m., Thursday, March 5, AIRB 1030
  • 2–3:30 p.m., Monday, March 9, AIRB 1030

RSVP available at: https://forms.gle/SucJRM2HFseN8B8S6

Webinar Series

The webinar series will cover the following four topics. A detailed schedule will be sent at a later date.

  1. Teaching preparation for a campus closure or emergency situation – This webinar will focus on the main issues previously highlighted – video capture of lectures, managing files on Canvas, and utilizing EEE and Canvas gradebooks.
  2. Keep on Teaching: Five easy steps to setup a course remotely
  3. Communicating with students during disruption
  4. Training your TAs and LAs to support students’ learning remotely

Webinar URL: https://ucirvine.zoom.us/j/9654339175
RSVP: https://forms.gle/hPwtLLgPhaS2N3FV7

Custom workshops are also available by request. Email Andrea Aebersold at andrea.aebersold@uci.edu for more information.

For questions, please contact Brian Sato, Associate Dean for Teaching Excellence and Innovation (bsato@uci.edu).

Thank you for your efforts to plan for potential disruptions, including the coronavirus, in our ability to deliver our curriculum and fulfill our educational mission.

Michael Dennin

Vice Provost for Teaching & Learning

Dean, Division of Undergraduate Education

March 1 – Maintaining Educational Continuity in the Context of the Coronavirus

by | Mar 1, 2020 | Announcements

From: UCI Leadership
Subject: Maintaining Educational Continuity in the Context of the Coronavirus
Date: March 1, 2020 at 7:30:35 PM PST

Dear Colleagues:

As the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread, we are doing everything possible to protect the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff.  Campus experts have been communicating often and broadly about how the community can take precautions, with information delivered in-person at select campus locations and through a special website that houses facts, policies, messages and podcasts.

We are also preparing for potential situations in which members of our campus community become ill or under quarantine.  We remain committed to ensuring that our students continue to receive a top-quality education, along with superior support services and extracurricular experiences, despite world events.

To this end, we expect all faculty and academic administrators to take the actions outlined below.

FACULTY
Effective immediately, the instructor of record for each course must:

  1. Establish a complete and regularly updated gradebook in the Canvas learning management system (https://canvas.eee.uci.edu); if your course is already in the EEE Legacy Gradebook, you may use that platform instead. This will ensure that if the instructor or other course staff become ill or are under quarantine, an accurate record of all assignment scores will be accessible, so that students can receive their course grades in a timely manner.
  2. Ensure that final exam papers can be reliably collected and graded, and the course grades computed and submitted, even if the instructor or other course staff become ill or are quarantined.
  3. Plan how to adjust course policies related to class attendance so as not to penalize students who become ill or are placed under quarantine.

Starting in the Spring Quarter 2020, the instructor of record must take the following step in addition to those listed above.

  1. Place all key course documents (e.g., syllabi, assignments, reading lists) on Canvas, so that students can access them remotely even if unable to come to campus due to illness or quarantine. If the course has a separate website, provide a link to it from Canvas. You are highly encouraged to take this step for your winter 2020 courses.

Starting in the Spring Quarter 2020, all faculty are encouraged to do the following, which will make it feasible for students to keep up with a course even if illness, quarantine, or travel restrictions prevent them from coming to campus:

  1. Arrange for lecture capture – e.g. video, streaming, podcasting – of your course. Use the Yuja platform tool (https://yuja.replay.uci.edu) to create and distribute the content via Canvas. This ensures that the material is stored safely and is available with sufficient internet bandwidth.
  2. Make the content available to your department, as part of an inventory other instructors can draw upon if necessary.
  3. Ask your department whether previous instructors have captured lectures for your course, so you can draw upon those as necessary and appropriate. It is important that these steps are taken to ensure the continuity of our educational excellence. If you encounter challenges for any of the steps above, please alert your department chair or other unit leader.

ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATORS (deans, chairs, directors)
Effective immediately, you are required to take the following steps:

  1. Work with all faculty in your unit to ensure they take the steps outlined above.
  2. Make contingency plans for how your unit will keep courses running if instructors or course staff become ill or are quarantined.
  3. Plan ahead to meet the ADA needs of quarantined instructors or students who had arranged accommodation with respect to in-person.
  4. Plan to increase summer course offerings for summer 2020 to support the academic advancement of students from abroad who cannot go home during summer 2020. This should include current students and inbound transfers from California community colleges. Vice Provost Michael Dennin will soon provide additional details to assist you.
  5. Inventory courses for which lecture capture exists already. Make faculty aware of the inventory and make the material available as needed to support current courses.
  6. Arrange for key courses to undergo lecture capture in spring 2020, summer 2020, and beyond, so as to provide the greatest coverage in future times of need.

For assistance with the items involving educational technology, please see the learning management system contact us page (https://eee.uci.edu/contact/) or send an email to eee-support@uci.edu

Thank you for taking these steps to ensure the educational resilience of our campus and to support our students’ academic success in the face of the challenges posed by COVID-19.Howard Gillman
Chancellor

Enrique J. Lavernia
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor

James Steintrager
Chair of the Academic Senate, Irvine Division

Jeffrey Barrett
Vice Chair of the Academic Senate, Irvine Division