Infectious disease experts at the Medical Center say a newly approved COVID-19 vaccine has been shown to be safe and effective. The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization to the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech late last week. Researchers and volunteers in Rochester have played a pivotal role in the testing of the vaccine since May, when the first human studies were launched.
“The trial was quite large and it was very carefully monitored. There were no serious side effects related to the vaccine,” said Ann Falsey, a professor of medicine and codirector of Rochester’s Vaccine Treatment and Evaluation Unit, at a news conference. “We can say that in almost 45,000 people, it was very good.”
In today’s issue:
A grant from the FACE Foundation will fund an international optics education collaboration
University IT offers tips for avoiding holiday shopping and delivery scams
Since Friday’s notice in @Rochester, there are five new cases of COVID-19 to report: three River Campus students who live off-campus; one River Campus employee; and one Eastman Campus graduate student who lives off-campus. Please note that the University’s COVID-19 Dashboard is updated daily and dashboard numbers may reflect additional cases confirmed later in the day. When a new case is known, the contact-tracing process begins immediately with the Monroe County Health Department, with confirmed exposures being contacted and required to quarantine.
If you think you’re experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, it’s best to report them through Dr. Chat Bot immediately. Even if you think your symptoms might be something else, like a cold, seasonal congestion, or allergies, it’s still important to tell University health professionals and contact tracers what you’re experiencing—they always want to receive more, not less, information. Common COVID-19 symptoms include:
A temperature of 100°F (37.8°C) or higher
Chills
Muscle or body aches
Severe fatigue
Headache
Congestion or runny nose
Sore throat
Loss of taste, smell, or appetite
Cough, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
Foundation funds international optics education collaboration
Security tip: last-minute shopping and delivery scams
As online holiday shopping increases due to the pandemic, be mindful of last-minute shopping and delivery scams. With the uptick in cyber spending and overloaded delivery services, this is always a favorite time of year for malicious actors. Be a security-savvy online shopper and always purchase from reputable companies. Be wary of scams like phishing texts or emails that pose as official notices from delivery companies asking for personal information, bogus “tracking links,” or messages stating an issue with shipment—when in doubt, go back to your online account for your order and tracking info. Always contact the company directly with concerns, and delete suspicious emails. University IT offers tips and more information on the Information Security website.
Flags will be lowered for Fred Rogosch
University flags will be lowered Tuesday, December 15, for Fred Rogosch, a senior research associate in clinical and social psychology at the Mt. Hope Family Center, who died November 26. Rogosch joined the University in 1989. An earlier notice in @Rochester included the wrong date for the flag-lowering.Â
@Rochester holiday break starts next week
We’re planning to put @Rochester on a brief hiatus for the final two weeks of December. The last issue of 2020 is planned for this Friday, December 18.
Reminder: We will include a listing of holiday hours for offices and services around the University in the Thursday, December 17, issue of @Rochester. Send the details to at-rochester@rochester.edu by noon on Tuesday, December 15, to be included.
Learn how to say no to the things that are stressing you out, and yes to those that bring you joy. Register now to attend a webinar on Wednedsay, December 16, at 12:30 p.m. EST with Well-U’s condition management team.
Collaborative concert features orchestras, Chamber Singers
The Arthur Satz Department of Music’s orchestras, conducted by Rachel Waddell, the director of orchestral activities, and the Chamber Singers, conducted by director Julie Covach, will join the Oberlin Arts and Sciences orchestras in a virtual concert broadcast on Tuesday, December 15, at 7:30 p.m. EST. You can find the link to the concert here.
Webinar on responsible news coverage of difficult topics
The TRANSFORM Research Center is hosting a free webinar, “Child Abuse and Neglect Meets the Press: Responsible News Coverage of Difficult Topics,” on Thursday, December 17, from noon to 1 p.m. EST. Reporters Steve Orr and Gary Craig will share their experiences covering stories involving child abuse and neglect, as well as insights on the best ways to interact with journalists and the media. Register to attend.
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