UCLA now extends online instruction through January 28

From the UCLA website:

Remote instruction extended through January 28

January 7, 2022

COVID-19 Response and Recovery Task Force 

Dear Bruin Community:

We write today to share the news that UCLA will extend remote instruction through Jan. 28. While we had hoped that our safety protocols and enhanced testing requirements would be sufficient to allow us to resume in-person instruction after next week, regional and campus trends in positivity rates, as well as staffing and operational concerns, have led us to conclude that an extension of remote education is the prudent course of action. 

We acknowledge that changes in plans driven by the shifting nature of the pandemic are difficult and we thank you for your patience and endurance. Please know that we are making this pivot in the interests of a healthier Bruin community. This decision is based on a number of factors, including high case rates on campus and in the region. Since the start of January, we have documented more than 1,200 new faculty, staff and student cases of COVID-19, which is impacting our teaching and campus services, as well as our ability to respond to this level of cases. Additionally, a smaller than anticipated percentage of eligible UCLA students (~34%) has received the vaccine booster thus far.

The extension of remote instruction will enable eligible members of our community to receive boosters; it will help faculty, staff and students meet our testing requirements; and it will allow us to further stagger students’ return to campus. Modeling indicates that this extension could help to reduce by 50% the number of students who would need to be placed in isolation or quarantine.

We want to emphasize that this decision should not be seen as a precursor to a fully remote winter term. We have every expectation that we will return to in-person instruction after this extension. We will of course continue to be in close contact with our public health experts to evaluate the situation over the next few weeks and communicate with the campus accordingly.

Students

Students who have already arrived on campus or in Westwood must follow testing protocols outlined in our December message. We also urge you to remain near campus, limit your travel, avoid large groups, and use caution and care when interacting with others. This will help us stabilize our community, reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19 cases.

Students who have not yet traveled back to campus or Westwood can now choose to delay their arrival, if desired. As students arrive, they will need to follow these testing protocols:

Take an at-home rapid antigen or PCR test from a provider of choice no more than 72 hours before arriving in Westwood and remain at home if positive. 

Upon arriving in Westwood, take a test from a campus vending machine or distribution center.

Three to five days after arriving in Westwood, take another test from a campus vending machine or distribution center.

Immediately isolate if a test result is positive.

Faculty and staff

Employees who have been working remotely and were planning to return to in-person work on Jan. 18 should also extend their return if appropriate and according to their department’s staffing plans. 

Faculty and staff returning to campus should follow these testing procedures: 

It is recommended that faculty and staff take an at-home rapid antigen or PCR test from a provider of choice no more than 72 hours before arriving in Westwood. 

Upon arriving in Westwood, take a test either through the free COVID-19 campus vending machines and distribution centers, or a COVID-19 rapid test if available in your department.

Three to five days after arriving in Westwood, take another test. This test must be obtained from a campus vending machine or distribution center.

Immediately isolate if a test result is positive.

Those who work in clinical settings (including dental and nursing clinics) must follow the COVID-19 protocols for health care settings. Those who work in non-clinical campus settings must comply with the relevant campus protocols (PDF).

Exceptions

A limited number of exceptions to this extension of remote instruction have been granted. Instructors who have received an exception to hold courses in person can continue to do so. UCLA’s Lab School and Early Care and Education (ECE) programs have already returned to in-person operations and are not affected by this change. Geffen Academy is also planning to return to in-person instruction on Jan. 10 as previously announced.  

Reminder of protocols

Remember to get your vaccine booster if eligible and if you have not yet done so. Proof of boosters is required by Jan. 18 for students and Jan. 31 for employees coming to campus. More information about boosters can be found in yesterday’s task force update.

In addition, all faculty, staff and students must continue to follow regular campus health protocols, including wearing face masks indoors. Departments can request upgraded masks that they can distribute internally to their faculty and staff from the UCLA Emergency PPE Store free of cost. We strongly encourage wearing masks in outdoor environments while among other people as well. Additionally, everyone living, learning or working on UCLA properties must complete the UCLA COVID-19 Symptom Monitoring and Vaccination Verification System Survey before arriving on or going out onto campus each day, regardless of vaccination status.

All members of our community who are on campus must still test at least once per week (twice per week is strongly recommended) through the campus testing program for the duration of winter quarter per the UCLA Community Screening Protocol (PDF).

Again, we thank you for your patience and flexibility as the campus — and the world — continues to negotiate rapidly changing circumstances. We strongly believe that these plans will provide a healthier start to the year for all of us at UCLA.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Beck, Administrative Vice Chancellor

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

Megan McEvoy, Professor, Institute for Society and Genetics, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, Co-chair, COVID-19 Response and Recovery Task Force 

Source: https://covid-19.ucla.edu/remote-instruction-extended-through-january-28/.

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Note: Below are the data from LA County:

Postscript:

Yesterday, the official notice said we would have to wait until next week for a decision. So, congratulations to UCLA for not postponing the inevitable. From yesterday's message:

...While our plans to return to in-person instruction on Jan. 18 remain in place, we continue to closely monitor COVID-19 cases on campus as our community returns to UCLA from winter break. We are hopeful that our plans will not need to change, but we are prepared to modify them if it is in the best interest of the safety of faculty, staff and students. We will send out another communication next week to keep you informed. We understand that this may result in challenges as you make travel plans to return to campus and appreciate your flexibility as we finalize these decisions...

Source: https://covid-19.ucla.edu/monitoring-our-winter-quarter-return/.