Future (Future-Oriented) Events

Still with us.

From an email circulated yesterday evening:

To:  Faculty and Staff

Dear Colleagues:

With vaccinations underway and new cases of COVID-19 decreasing in Los Angeles, we want to provide an update on new in-person academic considerations for spring quarter, our current planning assumptions for fall, as well as further ramp-up of research activities taking place now. Please join us as we cover these topics at two virtual town hall events that will be held next Thursday, March 18.

Spring and Fall Planning Town Hall

Join the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Task Force co-chairs Michael Beck and Michael Meranze on March 18 from 12 – 1 p.m. for a faculty and staff town hall focused on new opportunities for spring quarter and where we are in our recovery planning and our current assumptions about the fall. The session will include a presentation followed by a Q&A session with:

• Susan Ettner, interim dean of graduate education and professor in the schools of medicine and public health
• Renée Fortier, executive director of UCLA events and transportation
• Adriana Galván, dean of undergraduate education
• Andrea Kasko, chair of Graduate Council, professor of engineering
• Megan McEvoy, chair of Undergraduate Council, professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics

Registration for the spring and fall planning town hall is now open. The event will also be livestreamed on YouTube. Questions may be submitted in advance through the registration page or directly by email to COVID19@ucla.edu. Those participating via Zoom will also be able to pose questions during the town hall. A video recording of the town hall will be available for viewing on the COVID-19 resources website after the event.

Research Town Hall

Join Vice Chancellor Roger Wakimoto at a research ramp-up virtual town hall on March 18 from 2:15 – 3:15 p.m., where he will share information on UCLA’s current efforts to increase on-campus research activities. His presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.

Registration for the research ramp-up town hall is also now open. The event will also be livestreamed on YouTube and questions can be submitted in advance to OVCR@conet.ucla.edu. A video recording of the town hall will be available for viewing on the Research and Creative Activities website after the event.

As a reminder, you can visit the COVID-19 resources website and BruinsSafe Online for updates about our campus response to the pandemic. If you have additional questions, concerns or thoughts about UCLA’s COVID-19 response, please write to COVID19@ucla.edu.

We hope you will join us next week.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Beck

Administrative Vice Chancellor

Co-chair, COVID-19 Response and Recovery Task Force

Michael Meranze

Immediate Past Chair, UCLA Academic Senate

Professor of History

Co-chair, COVID-19 Response and Recovery Task Force

Roger M. Wakimoto

Vice Chancellor for Research and Creative Activities

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And there is this from UCLA Health, circulated at around the same time as the message above:

A COVID-19 vaccine update More than 10 million people have now received their first vaccine dose in the State of California, including 2.6 million people in Los Angeles and over 100,000 given by UCLA Health. This is exciting news! But as you likely know, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout has been challenging throughout most of the country, hindered by supply and distribution issues. California is no exception. But, we continue to tirelessly advocate to get vaccine supply to distribute to our patients. Our state recently put a third-party administrator, Blue Shield, in charge of the vaccine rollout. The state also launched a website, My Turn, where residents can fill in some information to see if they’re currently eligible to get vaccinated, and schedule appointments. We will continue to send out invitations to our patients based on what Blue Shield allocates to us. But we are not guaranteed doses and therefore urge everyone who has not yet been vaccinated to register on the My Turn website and to regularly check your local public health department (LA County, Ventura County, Orange County). Although we know these systems still present significant challenges, we’ve heard from some patients that they’ve had the best luck scheduling appointments in the early morning or late evening. UCLA Health is committed to providing you with the latest and most relevant information on the COVID-19 vaccine and general health topics. We’re updating our vaccine information hub and interactive chatbot daily with the latest frequently asked questions, and regularly post new health and wellness blogs. Who is eligible now? In LA County, we’re still in Phase 1B, Tier 1, which means that everyone 65 and older as well as essential workers in health care, education and childcare, emergency services, and food and agriculture are eligible to receive the vaccine. Next week, vaccine eligibility will open up to people with high-risk conditions. Which vaccine is best? The best vaccine is the one that is currently available to you. Please note that all three of the FDA-authorized vaccines were 100% effective at preventing severe symptoms related to COVID-19 in clinical trials. We urge you to get whichever vaccine is available to you, as soon as you are eligible, wherever you can get the earliest appointment.