On Monday, Jan. 11, the University of California system, which includes UC Irvine and nine other campuses, announced plans to return to in-person, on-campus learning by Fall 2021.

University of California President Michael V. Drake, M.D., a former chancellor for UC Irvine, expressed confidence in the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine, credited months of research, and the implementation of numerous COVID-19 prevention efforts, that will give the UC system the tools needed to make a statewide shift back to in-person education.

“As the university continues to monitor the evolution of the pandemic, we are also carefully planning a safe return to in-person classes,” Drake wrote. “Current forecasts give us hope that in the fall our students can enjoy a more normal on-campus experience.”

Last year, UC Irvine closed campus on Monday, March 16. However, the work at UCI did not halt during the pandemic, as the institution served as the county’s primary academic research facility and medical center early on in the fight against COVID-19.

While the greater majority of undergraduate classes at UCI have been held online, by establishing regular testing for staff and students, paired with robust contact tracing technology on-campus, a small number of lab-based courses were able to to meet in-person with, COVID-19 protocols in place.

“The implementation of COVID-19 testing for resident students, as well as campus employees and researchers, combined with our unique contact tracing program for the UCI community have been effective in helping to control the spread, and allowed our research operations to continue early on,” The university wrote in a statement.

The decision, announced Jan. 11, was made by Drake along with 10 additional UC chancellors. The statement indicates that the switch back to in-person education by Fall 2021 will be a fluid, evolving situation.

“In spite of dynamic conditions, the university understands the importance of communicating its plans as early as possible, as it stays flexible and nimble, to ensure students and their families have the latest information for decisions on enrollment, housing and other aspects of university life,” the Chancellor’s statement read.

In December, the City of Hope and UC Irvine unveiled on-going research and development of multiple COVID-19 vaccines happening in Irvine, and throughout California. On Dec. 16, healthcare workers at UC Irvine Medical Center became some of the first in Orange County to receive the first doses of the PfizerNBiotech COVID-19 vaccine.

“When the vaccine arrived, the UCI medical center was among the first in Orange County to administer COVID-19 vaccinations, providing more than 9,000 to health care workers to date. Being at the forefront of this public health crisis with experts advancing research and technology, we are positioned to and look forward to returning the UCI campus to the vibrant academic environment it is with in-person instruction,” Patricia Harriman, Communications officer at UCI wrote in an email to Irvine Weekly.

As of Jan. 8, the Orange County COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force reported more than 56,000 people within all tiers of the Phase 1A population had received vaccinations. However, the rollout of the vaccine has not come without some hiccups.

Statewide, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced a $2 billion plan to reopen in-person education under a new tiered framework that will be implemented by February.

While state and local officials are eager to return to normalcy, in Orange County COVID-19 cases are still surpassing daily records.

On Sunday, Jan. 10, Orange County recorded 50 COVID-19 related deaths, the county’s highest daily death total since the pandemic began.

On Monday, Jan. 11, Orange County reported an additional 29 COVID-19 related deaths, with 3,259 new COVID-19 cases. To date, 2,148 people have died from COVID-19 in Orange County.

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