A message from the Office of Communications
Editor's note: This version is updated to correct the return date of the individual who traveled to South Africa.
December 1, 2021
Dear UCSF Community,
Today, the California and San Francisco Departments of Public Health confirmed that the first case of COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant in the United States has been identified in the Bay Area, though it is likely that other cases in the country exist but have not yet been detected.
The individual, a San Francisco resident who recently returned from South Africa on Nov. 22, 2021, was fully vaccinated but had not received a booster shot, according to the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH). After getting tested, self-isolating and experiencing mild symptoms, the person is now recovering, said SFDPH Director Grant Colfax, MD, during a news conference at San Francisco City Hall.
UCSF’s Charles Chiu, MD, PhD, a professor of laboratory medicine and medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, confirmed that this case was caused by the Omicron variant after conducting genomic sequencing, which was subsequently confirmed by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As with previous emerging COVID-19 variants, scientists and public health officials here are working with international partners to determine its severity, transmissibility and resistance to current vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics and to address any potential impacts.
The recent emergence and spread of the Omicron variant further emphasizes the importance of being vaccinated, getting booster shots and following general prevention strategies, such as wearing face masks, needed to protect against serious illness from COVID-19. Public health officials now recommend that everyone aged 18 and over get a booster shot as soon as possible. As a reminder, booster shots are widely available at pharmacies, Safeway stores, UCSF and other local vaccination sites.
Peter Chin-Hong, MD, a professor of medicine in the UCSF Health Division of Infectious Diseases, will discuss what we know and don’t know about the Omicron variant at this Friday’s town hall. See details about the town hall and other important updates below.
Friday Town Hall to Cover Omicron Variant – NEW
Please join Chancellor Sam Hawgood and UCSF experts at the COVID-19 Response Town Hall on Friday, Dec. 3, 2021, at 4 p.m. via Zoom for an overview of the Omicron coronavirus, the state of the COVID-19 pandemic both globally and locally, the availability of booster shots, ongoing COVID-19 testing and other topics.
UCSF Urges Booster Shots for Everyone Over 18 – NEW
Due to the emergence of the Omicron variant in San Francisco, UCSF strongly urges those over age 18 to get booster shots, which are widely available through vaccination clinics, health care providers, Safeway stores and neighborhood pharmacies. Californians can visit the My Turn website or call (833) 422-4255 to make an appointment or find a nearby vaccine clinic. For information about how to get a booster shot at UCSF, please visit the UCSF Health website.
- UCSF Fresno: Booster shots are available at the UCSF Fresno COVID-19 Equity Project at 550 E. Shaw Ave. in Fresno. For hours and more details, see www.fresno.ucsf.edu/cep. For faculty and trainees who work at Community Medical Centers (CMC), you may make any appointment through MyChart for boosters through CMC. You MUST schedule an appointment to get your booster shot at one of two clinics – downtown or in Clovis. Individuals should bring their COVID-19 vaccination card to record the booster.
UCSF Offers Daily Health Screener Tips – NEW
In response to comments from members of the UCSF community, we are offering these tips on completing the mandatory daily health screener:
1. “I don’t have a device or mechanism for taking the screener before building entry.
- Interim Solution: Use manual screener iPads at visitor entrances of main hospitals if possible
- Long-term Solution: We are programming a one-hour grace period to allow people to take their screener at their workstation computer immediately after building entry. Expected date for this solution is December 16.
2. “When I come to work and click on my screener link, it shows my current, unexpired Pass. But, then during my shift, I got a reminder email.”
- Current Solution: To avoid getting expired pass/email reminders during your work shift, click “Retake Screener” and complete the screener before every work shift regardless of whether it is expired or not. You can find the “Retake Screener” link at the bottom of the Employee Pass clearance screen.
3. “I work shifts that are longer than 21 hours, so my Pass expires and I get an email reminder of non-compliance during my shift”.
- Interim Solution: During your shift, retake the screener before it expires (see below) by clicking on the “Retake Screener” link on the Pass screen.
- Long-term Solution: We are creating a setting to allow long-shift employees/trainees to extend their Pass expiration time to 36 hours.
As a reminder, everyone must complete the COVID-19 health screening tool before coming to campus. The screener can be found on the UCSF Mobile App, or online at www.ucsfhealth.org/daily-health-screening. Among the highlights:
- Employees without a smartphone can go through the aforementioned website or, for now, continue to go to the manual screeners located at main entrances.
- Once cleared for work, employees and learners can simply tap their UCSF Identification (ID) badge at any electronic badge reader before entering a building.
- More badge readers will be added at UCSF locations in the coming months.
- Employees at UCSF BCH Oakland will continue to show the Employee Pass screen to ambassadors or the security desk.
- Employees at UCSF Fresno will continue to use the current badge reader for entry and show the Employee Pass screen at the security desk.
Wear and Swipe UCSF ID Badge Daily – NEW
Whether you are returning to work or study on campus or have been working onsite throughout the pandemic, it’s important to wear your UCSF ID badge prominently above the waist and to swipe your badge at least once a day.
Prominently displaying your UCSF ID badge has always been a policy for employees and learners working in UCSF Health facilities. A newly released Key/Badge Policy extends this requirement to those in campus facilities.
Employees and learners who tap their badge into a UCSF building as required, but don’t complete the mandatory daily health screener, will be sent an email notification for non-compliance with the screener policy. Managers of employees will be copied on the email notification. Read more about the policy here.
U.S. Issues Travel Restrictions Due to Omicron Variant – NEW
At the advice of the President’s Chief Medical Advisor and the CDC, the Biden Administration announced that it will restrict travel from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe starting on Nov. 29, 2021, due to concerns over the new Omicron variant. These travel restrictions do not apply to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and certain other categories of travelers. The full text of the travel proclamation is available on the White House website.
Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19. However, international travel poses additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some COVID-19 variants. For the latest on international travel, please see the CDC website. The CDC reminds everyone to not travel if:
- You have been exposed to COVID-19 unless you are fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days.
- You are sick.
- You tested positive for COVID-19 and haven’t ended isolation (even if you are fully vaccinated).
- You are waiting for results of a COVID-19 test. If your test comes back positive while you are at your destination, you will need to isolate and postpone your return until it’s safe for you to end isolation. Your travel companions may need to self-quarantine.
UCSF Awards Projects to Promote Wellness – NEW
In recognition of the unprecedented stresses caused by the pandemic and social issues of our time, UCSF is boosting its efforts to promote wellness among faculty, staff and learners. As part of this effort, nine projects were chosen to receive Community Wellbeing Grants funded by Wellness and Community, part of Campus Life Services (CLS). Read more about these projects on the CLS website.
UCSF Hosts Staff Appreciation Breakfast Events – NEW
UCSF is hosting a series of staff appreciation events that bring our UCSF community together and recognizes the great work of those working onsite and those working remotely. These events provide UCSF leaders with an opportunity to convey their gratitude in person. Here is the schedule for staff appreciation breakfasts:
- Mission Bay: William and Susan Oberndorf Auditorium, Dec. 3, 2021, 6:30 – 10:30 a.m.
- Mount Zion: Mount Zion Café, Dec. 9, 2021, 7 – 9 a.m.
- Parnassus Heights: Moffitt Café, Dec. 10, 2021, 6:30 – 10:30 a.m.
- Mission Center Building: Conference Room 126, Dec. 13, 2021, 8:30 – 10:00 a.m.
- BCH Oakland: Friendly Café, Dec. 15, 2021, 6:30 – 9:30 a.m.
- UCSF Fresno: Staff appreciation events will be held in 2022.
- UCSF Health: For events held at UCSF Health locations, view this flyer.
Commonwealth Club Recognizes Leaders for COVID-19 Response – NEW
San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Grant Colfax, MD, director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, were among those to commend and congratulate eight leaders for their extraordinary efforts to counter the devastating effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic at the 2021 Commonwealth Club Distinguished Citizens Award Gala on Nov. 19, 2021.
During a daytime luncheon celebration, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Dan Lowenstein joined city officials and more than 100 other guests to toast the health and science leaders at the Commonwealth Club headquarters in San Francisco. Later that evening, Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to the President of the United States, and UCSF Chancellor Sam Hawgood hailed them at a virtual fundraising gala to benefit the public the Commonwealth Club of California, the nation’s oldest and largest public affairs forum. The 2021 honorees are:
- Jennifer Doudna, PhD
- Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, PhD, MD, MAS
- Alicia Fernandez, MD
- Monica Gandhi, MD, MPH
- Diane Havlir, MD
- Margot Kushel, MD
- Carina Marquez, MD
- Kim Rhoads, MD, MPH
UCSF Requires All Guests Provide Proof of Vaccination – REMINDER
UCSF requires that all public guests visiting our fitness centers and eateries or attending in-person special events, whether held at a UCSF campus facility or hosted by UCSF at a non-UCSF facility, to provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination when entering the campus or event site.