more on vaccines...

[Bill Maurer]

    Greetings, everyone! The end of winter quarter instruction is just
    10 days away. And the one-year anniversary of our working and
    teaching remotely is 14 days away. It was March 6, 2020, that we
    decided maybe we should plan some remote instruction workshops "just
    in case," March 9 that we held our first one (and our only in-person
    one, as it would turn out), and March 15 that I sent you all my
    very first "all-everyone" email informing you that Soc Sci would
    go wholly remote the following day. I would also begin emailing you
    pictures because I knew it cheered some of you up.

    As we reflect on that anniversary, however, we can now do so knowing
    that change is coming! I know there is still a ton of uncertainty
    and a lot of stress, but before too long, K-12 schools will start
    reopening for some degree of in-person classes, more and more of
    us will get vaccinated, and we will start figuring out what Fall
    quarter will really look like.

    Let's be patient, however. It's going to take some time, and there
    are still hurdles to overcome. Now is not the time to relax the
    precautions we are taking to protect the health of ourselves and
    others (no matter what's happening in some other states!). Infection
    levels are flattening at around the same level as the mid-summer
    peak. Remember that time, and how scary it was to us then? Continued
    vigilance!

    Meantime, vaccines: I know some of you are frustrated that you have
    been unable to get a vaccine appointment yet. UCI Health is still
    only receiving limited doses, far fewer than the number of employees
    currently on the various lists being used to prioritize vaccination.
    This is because UCI is part of Orange County's larger vaccination
    effort. And even if you receive an email asking you to make an
    appointment, in some cases you might still not be able to get the
    vaccine due to lack of availability. UCI Health is doing its best
    given county demands and the uncertainties associated with vaccine
    distribution and supply.

    My very strong recommendation is to register at myturn.ca.gov. This
    is the statewide online portal for registering to receive the
    vaccine. You might have to drive--within an hour's radius, even--but
    as appointments become available, the CA Department of Public Health
    will contact you if you've registered at this site.

    As Natalie emailed earlier, if you live in Long Beach, which has
    its own health department, go to http://longbeach.gov/health/ and
    sign up for VAXLB. If you live in Riverside County, sign up at
    https://www.rivcoph.org/COVID-19-Vaccine-with-Registration. San
    Bernardino, https://sbcovid19.com/vaccine/locations/. I would
    recommend doing this IN ADDITION TO registering at myturn.ca.gov.
    Pharmacies are also beginning to offer appointments; check with
    your local pharmacy.

    And finally: Unfortunately, a number of email, phone, and text
    message vaccine scams are really starting to proliferate. I myself
    received a scam text last night, telling me that an appointment was
    available, and all I had to do was follow the link and enter my
    personal information. THIS IS ALWAYS A SCAM. No legitimate vaccine
    provider or public health entity will EVER contact you, unsolicited,
    asking for your information. Also, if you receive an email, phone
    call, or text asking you to pay to sign up, or to gain early access,
    or offering the vaccine for sale, this is also a scam. Read the
    latest scam report here for more info on Covid vaccine scams, and
    please share with your friends and family members.

    I'll be in touch in due course, as campus planning continues and
    there is more information to share. In the meantime, be well, and
    go register to get vaccinated if you have not done so already!

    Bill