Posts Tagged: vaccination

UC vaccination policy: COVID-19 and flu vaccines available

To support the health and well-being of our colleagues and community, an updated revision of the University of California Vaccine Program Policy was issued recommending that all members of the UC community follow vaccine recommendations adopted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) applicable to their age, medical condition and other relevant indications.

The 2024-25 COVID-19 and flu vaccines are now readily available. Receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine is safe and can restore protection against infections and severe disease. The flu vaccination not only reduces the incidence of flu infections, but also lessens the severity of illness in those who do contract the virus. This year, with the potential threat posed by H5N1 avian influenza, the benefits of vaccination are even more critical.

While the flu vaccine does not specifically target H5N1, having a robust immune response from the flu shot may provide some level of protection against severe complications from co-infections. In cases where individuals are infected with both influenza and H5N1, vaccination can help reduce the severity of flu symptoms, potentially improving outcomes.

By getting vaccinated, you not only protect yourself but also help safeguard those around you, especially vulnerable populations who may be at greater risk for severe disease. Contact your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns about the flu vaccine. Together, we can help make this season healthier for everyone.

To comply with the Flu and COVID-19 Vaccine Policy by December 1, 2024, all students, faculty and staff need to take one of these actions:  

• Vaccinate: Get the 2024-25 Flu and COVID-19 vaccines and keep your records. A person is up to date with required vaccines when they have received all doses in a primary series and the most recent booster recommended by the CDC or by CDPH. 

• Opt-Out: A person may formally decline vaccination by completing an opt-out form provided by coordinating with the Location Vaccine Authority, Pia Wright, pwright@ucanr.edu, on or before December 1, 2024.

Employee Comment: Proposed revisions to Program Attachments #3-7 to the Policy on Vaccination Programs

The University of California Office of the President invites comments on proposed Program Attachments #3–7 to the Policy on Vaccination Programs. The policy is proposed to include the following key issues:

• Students will be required to be Up-To-Date on their MMR, MenACWY, Tdap, and VZV vaccinations, provide proof of immunity for those diseases, or obtain a University-approved exception, as a condition of Physical Presence at a University Location or in a University Program. 
• Students may request exceptions to any of these vaccination requirements premised on medical contraindications, religious objections, or disability. There are no exceptions permitted for students' mandatory completion of a tuberculosis screening questionnaire to evaluate their risk of latent tuberculosis. 
• In the event that applicable law or public health orders impose stricter vaccination requirements, students would be required to comply with those stricter requirements.
• Students who are not Up-To-Date with the relevant vaccination requirements (which includes those who have been granted exceptions) or who have not satisfied the tuberculosis screening requirement may be subject to Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (e.g., masks and testing) above and beyond those who have demonstrated compliance and may be excluded from the Location or site of an outbreak.
• Additionally, students who are not compliant with the vaccination programs and/or screening program must participate in any Vaccine Education required by their Location Vaccine Authority (LVA). Additional Vaccine Education may be required by the LVA in the event of an outbreak or consistent with applicable federal, state, or local laws, regulations, or accreditation standards.

The proposed revisions are posted here: https://ucanr.edu/sites/PCPA/Revisions/.

If you have any questions or if you wish to comment on this policy revision, please contact Robin Sanchez at rgsanchez@ucanr.edu, no later than Oct. 25, 2024. Please indicate “Vaccination Policy Programs” in the subject line.

 

Lawn-pocalypse! Surviving Drought

Ah, summer! The season of sunburns, pool parties, and… lawn droughts. If your once lush, green carpet now looks like a crunchy brown doormat, you're not alone. Let's dive into why your yard is staging a dramatic death scene and what you can do to...

Bermuda grass and weeds overtaking drought stressed turf grass.

A patch of former lawn, mostly dead, with a few green weeds and Bermudagrass

Employee comment: Vaccination programs policy

On Aug. 16, 2023, the University of California's Policy on Vaccination Programs – With Interim Revisions was issued. The interim revisions move the university's COVID-19 vaccination program to a systemwide opt-out program for all covered individuals. The university's seasonal influenza vaccination program remains an opt-out program. The University of California Office of the President invites comments on changes from the interim revisions to finalize this Presidential Policy.  

As background, there have been significant changes in federal and state public health guidance regarding COVID-19 since the last Systemwide Review period for this policy. The federal Public Health Emergency ended on May 11, 2023, along with the COVID-19 vaccination requirements for federal employees and federal contractors. California's COVID-19 State of Emergency ended on February 28, 2023, and the California Department of Public Health rescinded its health care worker vaccination requirement effective April 3, 2023. 

The draft policy is virtually identical to the policy with interim revisions that was issued on Aug. 16, 2023.  Key revisions include: 

• Policy will require covered individuals to either be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccination or to opt out of COVID-19 vaccination.  In the event applicable law or public health orders impose stricter vaccination requirements, such as for healthcare workers, the policy will continue to require compliance with those stricter requirements. 
• As policy will no longer require covered individuals to either be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccination or receive a university-approved exception, model forms and other content regarding the exception process were removed.
• COVID-19 vaccination program implementation guidelines were removed. Relevant language regarding vaccination data moved to main policy. Policy noncompliance language added to main policy, including citations to relevant university policies.  
• Removed content regarding rescinded California Department of Public Health (CDPH) health care worker vaccine requirement.
• Updated language consistent with current public health usage. Removed outdated deadlines and content.

The proposed revisions to the policy may be viewed at https://ucanr.edu/sites/PCPA/Revisions/.

If you have any questions or if you wish to comment on this policy revision, please contact Robin Sanchez at rgsanchez@ucanr.edu, no later than Dec. 11, 2023. Please indicate “Vaccination Programs Policy” in the subject line.

 

 

 

Climate-Change Resources

University of California UC ANR Green Blog (Climate Change and Other Topics) https://ucanr.edu/blogs/Green/index.cfm?tagname=climate%20change (full index)

Examples:

     -  Save Trees First: Tips to Keep Them Alive Under Drought https://ucanr.edu/b/~CdD 

     - Landscaping with Fire Exposure in Mind: https://ucanr.edu/b/~G4D

     - Cities in California Inland Areas Must Make Street Tree Changes to adapt to Future Climate  https://ucanr.edu/b/~oF7

Drought, Climate Change and California Water Management Ted Grantham, UC Cooperative Extension specialist (23 minutes) https://youtu.be/dlimj75Wn9Q

Climate Variability and Change: Trends and Impacts on CA Agriculture Tapan Pathak, UC Cooperative Extension specialist (24 minutes) https://youtu.be/bIHI0yqqQJc

California Institute for Water Resources (links to blogs, talks, podcasts, water experts, etc.) https://ciwr.ucanr.edu/California_Drought_Expertise/

UC ANR Wildfire Resources (publications, videos, etc.) https://ucanr.edu/News/For_the_media/Press_kits/Wildfire/ (main website)

      -UC ANR Fire Resources and Information https://ucanr.edu/sites/fire/ (main website)

            -Preparing Home Landscaping https://ucanr.edu/sites/fire/Prepare/Landscaping/

UC ANR Free Publications https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/ (main website)

- Benefits of Plants to Humans and Urban Ecosystems: https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8726.pdf

 -Keeping Plants Alive Under Drought and Water Restrictions (English version) https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8553.pdf

  (Spanish version) https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8628.pdf

-  Use of Graywater in Urban Landscapes https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8536.pdf

-  Sustainable Landscaping in California https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8504.pdf

 

Other (Non-UC) Climate Change Resources

Urban Forests and Climate Change. Urban forests play an important role in climate change mitigation and adaptation. Active stewardship of a community's forestry assets can strengthen local resilience to climate change while creating more sustainable and desirable places to live. https://www.fs.usda.gov/ccrc/topics/urban-forests

Examining the Viability of Planting Trees to Mitigate Climate Change (plausible at the forest level) https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2927/examining-the-viability-of-planting-trees-to-help-mitigate-climate-change/

Reports and other information resources coordinated under the auspices of the United Nations and produced through the collaboration of thousands of international scientists to provide a clear and up to date view of the current state of scientific knowledge relevant to climate change. United Nations Climate Action

Scientific reports, programs, action movements and events related to climate change. National Center for Atmospheric Research (National Science Foundation)

Find useful reports, program information and other documents resulting from federally funded research and development into the behavior of the atmosphere and related physical, biological and social systems. Search and find climate data from prehistory through to an hour ago in the world's largest climate data archive. (Formerly the "Climatic Data Center") National Centers for Environmental Information (NOAA)

Think tank providing information, analysis, policy and solution development for addressing climate change and energy issues (formerly known as the: "Pew Center on Global Climate Change"). Center for Climate & Energy Solutions (C2ES)

Mapping Resilience: A Blueprint for Thriving in the Face of Climate Disaster. The Climate Adaptation Knowledge Exchange (CAKE) was launched in July 2010 and is managed by EcoAdapt, a non-profit with a singular mission: to create a robust future in the face of climate change by bringing together diverse players to reshape planning and management in response to rapid climate change. https://www.cakex.org/documents/mapping-resilience-blueprint-thriving-face-climate-disaster

Cal-Adapt provides a way to explore peer-reviewed data that portrays how climate change might affect California at the state and local level. We make this data available through downloads, visualizations, and the Cal-Adapt API for your research, outreach, and adaptation planning needs. Cal-Adapt is a collaboration between state agency funding programs, university and private sector researchers https://cal-adapt.org/

Find reports, maps, data and other resources produced through a confederation of the research arms of 13 Federal departments and agencies that carry out research and develop and maintain capabilities that support the Nation's response to global change. Global Change (U.S. Global Change Research Program)

The Pacific Institute is a global water think tank that combines science-based thought leadership with active outreach to influence local, national, and international efforts to develop sustainable water policies. https://pacinst.org/our-approach/

Making equity real in climate adaptation and community resilience policies and programs: a guidebook. https://greenlining.org/publications/2019/making-equity-real-in-climate-adaption-and-community-resilience-policies-and-programs-a-guidebook/ 

Quarterly CA Climate Updates and CA Drought Monitor Maps (updated each Thursday) https://www.drought.gov/documents/quarterly-climate-impacts-and-outlook-western-region-june-2022

 

 

 

 

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