A message sent from the Office of Communications
Dear UCSF Community,
In another milestone in the pandemic, coronavirus vaccines are now available to children ages 6 months to 4 years old after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cleared the way last week. To learn more about locations and scheduling vaccines for this age group read below and tune into the next town hall on Friday, July 1, 2022, when UCSF pediatrician Lee Atkinson-McEvoy will be available to answer your questions.
In other news, please save the date on Friday, July 8, 2022, for a special town hall to hear UCSF experts discuss what’s next as we prepare for the U.S. Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to issue a decision that could overturn Roe v. Wade, ending 49 years of protections for abortion access. A this town hall, “After SCOTUS: The Future of Abortion Access,” speakers will cover how the ruling could impact UCSF’s mission areas, as well as how faculty, staff, and learners may be affected and can get involved.
The UCSF community is also invited to join their co-workers at upcoming community-building events, including the SF Pride Parade on Sunday, June 26, 2022, and AIDS Walk San Francisco on Sunday, July 17, 2022. Happy summer!
Please see other important updates below.
UCSF Begins Vaccinating Infants and Toddlers – NEW
UCSF Health will begin vaccinating children ages 6 months and older beginning June 23, 2022. Please note that all children through age 17 must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver. We encourage you to schedule an appointment for vaccines and booster shots by using using MyChart or by calling the centralized scheduling number (415) 476-6407. For more information about vaccines for children, please visit the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital website.
Here are the locations for vaccines for infants and toddlers:
Mission Bay (not a drive-through site)
601 16th Street (inside a tent at the corner of 16th and Owens streets)
Monday through Wednesday, from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. and Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Closed noon to 1. p.m.
Laurel Heights (drive-through and walk-ins)
3333 California St.
Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed noon to 1 p.m.
Benioff Children’s Hospital (BCH) Oakland
The BCH Oakland vaccine clinic is now offering Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for children aged 6 months and older, as well as continuing to offer vaccines and boosters for older children and parents/caregivers. Boosters and vaccines are available for BCH patients and their families, as well as employees of BCH and UCSF and their families.
BCH Oakland Outpatient Center
744 52nd Street, Oakland
Clinic hours: 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Please note that the weekly vaccine schedule is age and vaccine specific:
- Ages 6 months – 4 years: Mondays and Wednesdays a.m. for Pfizer
- After 6 months – 5 years: Mondays and Wednesdays p.m. for Moderna
- Ages 5 – 11 years Tuesdays and Fridays all day for Pfizer
- Ages 12 years – adult: Thursdays all day for Pfizer
- Employees: Thursdays all day for Moderna
UCSF Fresno: UCSF Fresno COVID-19 Equity Project (CEP) began administering the Moderna coronavirus vaccine to children 6 months through 5 years today (June 22, 2022) at the drive-through clinic at 550 E. Shaw Ave. in Fresno. UCSF Fresno CEP will begin offering the Pfizer vaccine for children 6 months through 4 years old tomorrow (June 23). For hours and more information go to: fresno.ucsf.edu/cep
UCSF Revises Guidance for Hosting Meeting and Events – NEW
UCSF continues to monitor and revised its guidelines for meetings and events based on the state’s current transmission risk level defined by the CDC along with UCSF’s transmission risk levels. As of June 13, 2022, the following event guidance applies to all UCSF-sponsored events at locations both on-site and off-site:
Events with Fewer Than 100 People
- Requires approval by respective department head
- Masking indoors strongly recommended
- Food and beverage outdoors strongly recommended with social distancing
- Food and beverage allowed indoors with 50% capacity and social distancing
Events with 100 People or More
- Requires Recovery Operations Center (ROC) approval
- Indoor masking required
- Food and beverage outdoors strongly recommended with social distancing
- Food and beverage allowed indoors with:
- 50% capacity of the venue AND
- Pre-event testing clearance by all attendees (Pre-event testing clearance can be met with a negative Color/PCR test within 48 hours, or a negative rapid antigen test the day of the event)
Non-sponsored UCSF events are expected to adhere to local jurisdictions' public health orders. For more information, see Guidance for Hosting Meetings and Events.
July 1 Town Hall to Cover Vaccines for Infants/Toddlers – NEW
Please join pediatrician Lee Atkinson-McEvoy to learn more about vaccines for young children at the next COVID-19 Response Town Hall on Friday, July 1, 2022, at 4 p.m. via Zoom. Also hear global and local updates on the pandemic. Previous UCSF COVID-19 Response Town Halls are posted here.
UCSF Features LGBTQIA+ Leaders at Last Town Hall – NEW
In case you missed it, UCSF convened a panel of leaders to discuss LGBTQI issues and Pride at the town hall on June 17. To catch that portion of the program, start at 25:42 in this video replay of the COVID-19 Response Town Hall.
UCSF Launches Super Screener Recognition Program – NEW
UCSF employees and learners, including Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland employees, who complete the Daily Health Screener on a regular basis may be recognized for complying with this mandatory COVID-19 policy. Here’s what you should know:
- Launched by Occupational Health Services (OHS), this program will recognize the top 200 individuals with the highest number of completed Daily Health Screeners at UCSF Health, Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland and UCSF Fresno.
- Employees will be notified monthly through UCSF’s online recognition platform, Recognize.
- In addition, 40 individuals will be randomly selected to receive a $25 gift card. Those randomly selected to receive gift cards will receive a separate message with instructions on how to claim their prize.
- The Recognize platform will send an email message to all selected employees with copies automatically sent to their supervisor.
- For questions or more information about this program, please contact Muinat (Abi) Ishowo or Mauricio Roman.
UCSF Revises Indoor Masking Policy – REMINDER
UCSF revised its indoor masking policy for non-clinical areas. Details about masking inside campus and UCSF Health buildings is posted on the coronavirus website here. Please note these details below:
- Masks are strongly recommended but no longer required in some indoor spaces on campus, except for high-risk settings, such as hospitals, clinics, childcare facilities and campus shuttles.
- Unvaccinated personnel with exceptions must always wear masks and comply with other non-pharmaceutical interventions.
- Those with a recent high-risk exposure to COVID-19 must always wear masks and comply with other non-pharmaceutical interventions.
- Wearing masks outdoors is optional, but strongly recommended for those who are not fully vaccinated in situations where they will be in sustained close contact with others.
- Please respect and support everyone’s individual decisions, including those who choose to continue wearing a mask.
- Wearing a mask helps protect others in our community who may be immunocompromised or at greater risk for serious illness.
- Masks differ in the degree of protection they provide. N95 respirators provide the highest level of protection, followed by K-95, surgical masks, and Cal OSHA-accepted cloth masks.
- For campus employees, orders of N95 masks can be placed through the BearBuy store at no cost to your department and may be obtained at campus security desk locations for voluntary use.
Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) Extended – REMINDER
The UC Office of the President (UCOP) announced additional Emergency Paid Sick Leave hours for 2022 (2022 EPSL) on Feb. 23, 2022. Here are the highlights:
- Full-time employees are eligible for up to 80 hours of paid leave (and two-week equivalent for part-time employees) for use when they cannot work due to COVID-19 related qualifying reasons through Sept. 30, 2022.
- The 2022 EPSL program allows eligible employees with remaining 2021 EPSL hours to use their remaining hours in addition to the 2022 hours.
- Employees who qualify for EPSL will receive their regular rate of pay when using EPSL during the 2022 EPSL period.
- More information on the program can be found here.
- UCSF Health: Please see more information about Personal Protection Equipment and requirements for N95 masks here.
Parking at UCSF – REMINDER
As more faculty, staff, students and trainees return to on-site activities, here are a few key points to remember about parking at UCSF locations:
- The University no longer administers payroll deductions for parking.
- Monthly and daily UCSF employee parking passes can be purchased using the mobile app: paybyphone (or paybyphone.com).
- When paying with paybyphone, use code 401608 to receive the discounted UCSF rate.
- Once paid, parking is valid at any UCSF parking facility, drivers receive in-and-out privileges, and can park at more than one campus in a day, if needed.
- Please be prepared to show payment confirmation and UCSF ID to the attendant when exiting parking garages.
- More information about parking is posted here.