No new positive cases of COVID-19

Since Wednesday’s notice in @Rochester, there are no new cases of COVID-19 to report. Please note that the University’s COVID-19 Dashboard is updated daily. Whenever a new case is known, the contact-tracing process begins immediately with confirmed exposures being contacted and required to quarantine.

It’s also extremely important for the health of the University community that individuals continue to adhere to the face masking and social distancing protocols. Even as some individuals are now receiving their first or second dose of the vaccine, these practices to prevent the transmission of the virus cannot be relaxed.

If you think you’re experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, it’s important 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.

An update on University vaccinations

Due to limited vaccine supply, URMC is focused right now on continuing to vaccinate UR Medicine health care workers in New York State’s 1a category, as well as continuing second dose clinics, hopeful that next week URMC’s vaccine allotment will be increased to continue to vaccinate other eligible faculty and staff.

As a reminder, eligible University faculty and staff who accept vaccination appointments must sign an attestation of their eligibility and show their University ID. As vaccine supplies allow, additional slots will be made available more broadly for in-person instructional faculty, who are also approved within the current New York State eligibility designations. Invitations for this expanded group will be delivered through University email.

UR Medicine also this week officially opened its first two vaccine centers at Manhattan Square downtown and at the Saunders Building on the Medical Center campus for eligible UR Medicine patients by appointment only.

Opt back in to parking by January 29 to keep your permit

Faculty and staff who chose to suspend their parking payroll deduction or transferred to a remote half-time parking permit during COVID will need to reinstate their payroll deduction for a full-time parking permit by January 29 to remain in their lot. Those who register for a permit after January 29 will be placed in whichever lot has availability. Please note that if you choose not to reinstate your full-time permit, you can still purchase daily permits on River Campus or at the Medical Center.

Space still available in emergency childcare program

There are still spots available in the University’s “School of Roc” program, which provides emergency childcare on the University’s campus. Organized through a partnership with the YMCA of Greater Rochester, the program was initially launched to support essential employees directly supporting students and patient care. With openings still available, the University is broadening eligibility to all faculty and staff. The program provides childcare and support for various remote learning activities for students ages five through 12. The program is housed in the Fauver Stadium Event Space on the River Campus and runs through February 12. Parents have flexible options to enroll their children between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. for up to five days a week, Monday through Friday. More information is available here. Registration is on a first-come basis. Contact University Human Resources at URMCChildCare@URMC.Rochester.edu to begin the approval and registration process.

• Dr. Chat Bot: Non–Medical Center faculty, staff, and all students | Medical Center employees
• What to do if you or your close contacts have symptoms or have been exposed
• University’s COVID-19 Resource Center
• Medical Center’s COVID-19 update page
• COVID-19 Concern Report

Open Educational Resources in the sciences

The River Campus Libraries will host an hour-long workshop at 1 p.m. EST today, Thursday, January 21, on open educational resources (OER) and open pedagogy. Authors from Open Pedagogy Approaches will speak on their chapters, which will cover open mathematics and creating the scaffolding for an OER-enable general education course. Register here to attend.

'Nutrition Kitchen' cooking demonstrations

Watch and cook along with April Ho from Well-U’s lifestyle management team for a new take on breakfast. January’s recipe will focus on balancing protein, fat, and fiber.

CRoFT Career Story with Ilona Jaspers

The Western New York Center for Research on Flavored Tobacco (CRoFT) is holding a “Career Story” with Ilona Jaspers on Monday, January 25, at 12:30 p.m. EST. Jaspers is a professor of pediatrics and of microbiology and immunology and a professor of environmental sciences and engineering at the Gillings School of Global Public Health. Register in advance to attend.