Dec 22, 2021

COVID boosters are required

As shared in President Drake’s letterUniversity of California policy requires students, faculty, and staff to keep their COVID-19 vaccination status up to date. This includes COVID-19 boosters for those who are eligible. To comply with this policy, UCI is requiring boosters for all eligible individuals – students and employees – by January 31, 2022. Those who are eligible and not boosted by this date will be considered non-compliant with the university’s vaccination policy. Those who are not yet eligible to be boosted by January 31 will have two weeks after their eligibility to comply. As announced at last Thursday’s Health Affairs Town Hall and mentioned in the Chancellor’s message, students and employees are encouraged to upload their record as soon as possible.

Who is eligible to get a booster?

Everyone ages 16 and older is eligible for a booster shot. Check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website on booster recommendations. To be eligible for the booster, recipients must be six months past the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two months past the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. UCI community members are encouraged to get boosted once eligible and are asked to upload their proof of booster vaccination as soon as you receive your booster, but no later than Jan. 31, 2022.

Where can you get a booster?

COVID booster vaccinations can be obtained from medical offices, pharmacies and community-sponsored venues. Check California’s MyTurn website to find vaccination sites.

What booster should you get?

UCI Health recommends the Pfizer and Moderna boosters. If you received Johnson & Johnson as your first vaccine, it is recommended that you select either Pfizer or Moderna as your booster.

Once you have a booster, then what?

  • Obtain verification of your booster on the CDC card you received for your initial vaccinations (or on its foreign equivalent in the case of covered individuals who received their vaccinations abroad); official documentation issued by a state vaccine registry; or an official medical record. If you were vaccinated in California, you may request a digital COVID-19 vaccine record.
  • Take a photo of the verification document and upload the photo to the appropriate portal along with the required data from the record. Use Occupational Health for faculty and staff or Student Health for students. (Students who are also employees should upload to the student site.)

Get boosted, Anteaters! Upload your booster verification for a chance to win a gift card.

Upload booster record by Jan. 7 and be entered in drawing

Those who are boosted and upload their verification by Friday, Jan. 72022, will be entered into a drawing to win one of 100 $50 Amazon gift cards. (Those who have already uploaded their booster, or were boosted through Student Health or Occupational Health, are automatically eligible for the drawing.)

Need help?

If you have any questions about how to submit the required documentation of your vaccination booster, or need assistance in locating a vaccine site near you, please contact UCI Contact Tracing and Vaccine Navigation Services (CTVNS) at 949-824-2300 or contacttracing@uci.edu. If you call during the UCI administrative recess (Dec. 23 to Jan. 2), please leave a voicemail and your call will be returned within 24 hours.

More than 95% of the UCI community is vaccinated – a great accomplishment that reflects the dedication of Anteaters to our community. UCI has persevered through this pandemic, contributing to the wellness of the broader Orange County community. We can continue to do this!

Thank you for your continued diligence and have a safe, happy and restful winter break.

Sincerely,

Hal SternProvost and Executive Vice Chancellor

Willie L. Banks Jr.Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs

Ramona AgrelaChief Human Resources Officer & Vice Chancellor