UC San Diego said Tuesday that it will bring back classes online for at least the first two weeks of January due to the spread of Omicron, deflating news for a school that has maintained one of the lowest infection rates of any university in the country.
As the day progressed, six other UC campuses – including UCLA, Irvine and Santa Cruz – announced they would do the same, to varying degrees, a chain reaction that underscored the university’s concern over the new COVID-19 variant. .
Campuses have been heavily influenced by the Omicron infection models produced in recent days by UCSD researchers. Studies show the variant will arrive in California in early January. UCSD Chancellor Pradeep Khosla shared the data with other campuses on Monday.
It is possible that the two remaining UC campuses that have not made the switch will follow suit.
The new variant “may require campuses to start the semester using distance learning to allow students to complete an appropriate test protocol when they return to campus,” said Michael Drake, president of UC, which has 286,000 students.
Drake also said eligible students and staff across all UC campuses will be required to get booster shots. UCSD opened a booster vaccination clinic on November 15, then began a campaign in December to get 10,000 students empowered by December 31. As of Monday, 9,000 students have received the injection.
The temporary return to online courses has shocked UCSD, one of the first research schools in the country to extensively test students for COVID-19. Many students and some faculty have described online education as lonely and alienating and claim it denies them a traditional college experience.
But the decision “was the right thing to do,” said Dr. Robert Schooley, head of UCSD’s Return to Learn program, which establishes protocols for operating during a pandemic. “It will give us the flexibility to continue teaching as Omicron passes by.”
Harvard, Stanford, USC, and dozens of other colleges and universities nationwide have also decided to hold most of their classes online in January. The University of San Diego said Tuesday, “Courses associated with the USD Study Abroad Program will now be offered remotely and international travel in association with programs during intercession will not be allowed in January, due to the Omicron variant. “.
San Diego State University and Cal State San Marcos say they are not currently preparing to transfer courses online, but are closely monitoring the situation. Point Loma Nazarene University officials could not be reached for comment.
UCSD, whose enrollments peaked at nearly 43,000 in the fall, was expected to start the winter term with mostly in-person classes on January 3.
But Khosla released a statement Tuesday stating, “In anticipation of a surge that could coincide with the planned start of our in-person residential Winter Quarter, UC San Diego is exercising caution and shifting our instructions into one-mode only. remote from January 3 to 17.
“During this time we will incrementally populate the campus (with students, faculty) using a more comprehensive testing regime.”
The La Jolla campus will close on Wednesday for the Christmas holidays. But there are still around 4,000 students living in campus housing. Many of them are foreign students who cannot go home during the break. Schooley says students will be allowed to stay in campus housing. Other students will be able to go back to the dorms after the break. But the university encourages them to stay home until mid-January, perhaps longer.
“This decision was based on science and safety – the students here understand that,” said Manu Agni, president of associate students at UCSD.
“We went out of our way to cooperate: wearing masks, testing and vaccinating. But getting back online is going to be really tough. The students really enjoyed the in-person classes and all the fun events that go along with being on campus. “
A fellow student, Maya Philipp of Folsom, said, “It looks like we’re taking a step back. I’ll be on campus for those two weeks in January. But if it ends up that we have to be online for the entire winter term, I’ll probably go back to Folsom. .
“I want to be on campus. It was great to be here this fall. “
13:04 Dec 21, 2021: UC Irvine and UC Santa Cruz announce plans to temporarily move classes online.
13:04 Dec 21, 2021: UC Irvine and UC Santa Cruz announce plans to temporarily move classes online.
Can you still get COVID-19 after recovering from it?
Immunity is complicated and, yes, you can still get COVID-19 infection again. In fact, a recent study found that unvaccinated adults were twice as likely to become infected with COVID-19 again than those who had vaccinated after recovering from the disease.
Does immunity to COVID-19 decrease over time? One of the main studies providing evidence for the CDC recommendation was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine [1]. He found that vaccine-induced immunity, while still protective enough against COVID-19 infection and serious illness, can fade after several months.
Can you get reinfected with COVID-19?
Reinfections can and did occur even shortly after recovery, the researchers said. And they will become more and more common as immunity wanes and new variants of SARS-CoV-2 arise.
What happens if a recovered person from COVID-19 develop symptoms again?
If a previously infected person has recovered clinically but later develops symptoms indicative of COVID-19 infection, they should be quarantined and retried.
Can you get COVID-19 if you already had it and have antibodies?
It is important to remember that some people with antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 can become infected after vaccination (vaccine infection) or after recovering from a past (reinfected) infection.
Can you get COVID-19 if you already had it and have antibodies?
It is important to remember that some people with antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 can become infected after vaccination (vaccine infection) or after recovering from a past (reinfected) infection.
How long do antibodies last after COVID-19 infection?
Dr. Finstad: The antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 appear to last at least several months. A SeroNet study found that people who had mild to moderate COVID-19 had neutralizing antibodies for at least 5 months. Another found similar results: People who recovered from COVID-19 had neutralizing antibodies for 6 months.
Should I get the COVID-19 vaccine if I have recovered from COVID-19?
If I have already had COVID-19 and am cured, do I still have to get vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine? Yes, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you have already had COVID-19 because: Research has not yet shown how long you are protected from contracting COVID-19 again after recovering from COVID-19. Vaccination helps protect you even if you’ve already had COVID-19.
What are the common side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine?
The most commonly reported side effects were injection site pain, fatigue, headache, body aches, chills, joint pain and fever.
Is it normal to feel sick after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine? It is normal to feel sick after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. You may have a sore arm. Place a cool, damp washcloth on the sore arm.
What are some common side effects of the COVID-19 booster vaccine?
Fever, headache, fatigue and pain at the injection site were the most commonly reported side effects, and overall, the majority of side effects were mild to moderate. However, as with two-dose or single-dose primary series, serious side effects are rare but can occur.
Is there a difference between a booster and COVID-19 vaccine?
Do the boosters have the same formulation as existing vaccines? Yes. COVID-19 booster shots are the same formulation as current COVID-19 vaccines. However, in the case of the Moderna COVID-19 booster vaccine, it’s half the dose of the vaccine that people get for their initial series.
What are the common side effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine?
The most commonly reported side effects were injection site pain, fatigue, headache, body aches, chills, joint pain and fever. Side effects typically started within two days of vaccination and resolved 1-2 days later.
Is it normal to have side effects after second COVID-19 vaccine?
Side effects after the second shot may be more intense than those you experienced after the first shot. These side effects are normal signs that your body is building protection and should go away within a few days.
Is it normal for the COVID-19 vaccine side effects to be worse after the first shot?
Additionally, 50% of people reported systemic side effects (e.g. fatigue, headache, or muscle aches) after the first dose, which jumped to about 70% after the second dose. Chills and fever, reported by only about 9% of people after the first dose, rose to about 30% after the second dose.
What are the common side effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine?
The most commonly reported side effects were injection site pain, fatigue, headache, body aches, chills, joint pain and fever. Side effects typically started within two days of vaccination and resolved 1-2 days later.
Can I get the COVID-19 vaccine if I have an underlying condition?
People with underlying medical conditions can receive a COVID-19 vaccine as long as they have not had an immediate or severe allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine or to any of the vaccine ingredients. Learn more about vaccination considerations for people with underlying medical conditions. Vaccination is an important consideration for adults of any age with certain underlying medical conditions because they are at increased risk for serious COVID-19 illness.
Who shouldn’t take Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine? If you’ve had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (such as polyethylene glycol), you shouldn’t get this vaccine. If you’ve had a severe allergic reaction after receiving a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, you shouldn’t get another dose of an mRNA vaccine.
Does having multiple medical conditions increase the risk of a severe illness from COVID-19?
Certain underlying medical conditions have increased the risk of serious COVID-19 disease in adults. Having multiple conditions also increased the risk. Obesity, diabetes with complications, and anxiety and fear-related disorders had the strongest association with death. The risk associated with a condition increases with age.
What are the odds of getting severe COVID-19 symptoms?
Most people will have mild symptoms and get better on their own. But around 1 in 6 will have severe problems, such as trouble breathing. The chances of more severe symptoms are higher if you are older or have another health condition such as diabetes or heart disease.
Who are some groups at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19?
Some people may be at an increased risk for serious illness. This includes the elderly (age 65 and over) and people of any age with serious underlying medical conditions. By using strategies that help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace, you will help protect all employees, including those at the highest risk.
Can immunocompromised people get the COVID-19 vaccine?
People with immunocompromised conditions or people taking immunosuppressive medications or therapies are at increased risk for serious COVID-19 illness. COVID-19 vaccines currently FDA approved or FDA cleared are not live vaccines and therefore can be safely administered to immunocompromised people.
What does it mean to be immunocompromised during COVID-19?
Being immunocompromised means your immune system is weakened and you may be at an increased risk of serious COVID-19 disease. â € Many different health conditions and medications can cause immunocompromise.
Should you get the Covid vaccine if you have an autoimmune disease?
The American College of Rheumatology COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Guidance recommends that people with autoimmune and inflammatory rheumatic diseases (which includes lupus) get the vaccine unless they have an allergy to a vaccine ingredient.