UCLA leaders address employee questions about omicron variant at town hall

As the omicron wave nears its projected peak in the United States, UCLA leaders hosted a town hall for faculty and staff on Jan. 13 to offer the latest information on policies designed to keep the Bruin community as healthy as possible.  The hour-long Zoom meeting addressed topics ranging from how staff and students can get free masks to the factors under consideration for returning to in-person work and learning.Some highlights:New mask requirements: Whenever indoors, all students, faculty and staff must use upgraded masks, such as well-fitting KN95s, N95s or medical-grade masks. UCLA is making masks available for free, said Michelle Sityar, chief of staff to Administrative Vice Chancellor Michael Beck. Departments should order upgraded masks from the  UCLA Emergency PPE Store and provide them to members of their communities.  Starting Jan. 19, students can get free masks at locations including the John Wooden Center, the Student Activities Center, Ackerman Union and other ASUCLA locations, and at the front desk of residential halls on the Hill. Sityar also highlighted the newisolation and quarantine protocol, which allows those who have tested positive for COVID-19 to end isolation after only five days if they meet key criteria.  The best tests: Dr. Daniel Uslan, co-chief infection prevention officer for UCLA Health, said that PCR tests — such as those available for free to Bruins through campus vending machines — are better for early detection of COVID-19 than ...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news