Dear UCSF Community,
Just last week, I wrote to you about the rapid spread of Omicron, which is becoming the dominant COVID-19 virus in the U.S. I write today to update you on new policy changes as we work as health care leaders to protect our patients, families, and each other.
Effective immediately, UCSF staff, faculty, and learners must follow these updated policies:
Booster vaccinations are now required by January 31 (deadline extended)
All eligible UCSF staff, faculty, and learners are required to receive a booster vaccination by January 31, 2022.
- To learn about scheduling a booster shot appointment, providing proof of vaccination from a non-UCSF provider, and other information, visit the Vaccine Information Hub.
- The UCSF deadline has been extended to align with a recent update to UC policy.
COVID-19 testing in January for on-site workers and learners
To respond to the potential impact of the holiday season, we strongly encourage testing for everyone returning to on-site work in January and for travelers. The enhanced testing protocol below will be in place for the first half of...
Dear UCSF Community,
As the Omicron variant rapidly spreads across the globe, UCSF is kicking off a campaign to get every UCSF care provider, staff, faculty, and learner inoculated with a booster shot by January 15, 2022. Our goal is to get at least 98 percent of the UCSF community vaccinated with a booster, the same impressive level we achieved with the COVID-19 vaccinations.
The Omicron variant has more than 50 mutations that make it more transmissible than previous variants, dramatically reducing the effectiveness of the initial round of vaccines. However, recent research indicates that a booster shot significantly raises the level of protection in those who have been fully vaccinated.
Throughout the pandemic, UCSF has served as a beacon of leadership and hope for our families and communities, and I hope you have felt as proud of our public mission as I have. As we face this new COVID-19 variant, I urge you to lead by example once again and help us reach our booster vaccination goal. In so doing, you will not only reflect the best of our PRIDE Values but also help to protect yourselves, your family and friends, and our shared communities.
UCSF offers COVID-19 booster shots at various locations, including a few upcoming appointments reserved for UCSF employees. To learn more about booster shots at UCSF or elsewhere, please visit the coronavirus website. If you get a booster shot at a location outside UCSF,...
Dear UCSF Colleagues:
Today, after 21 plus years, I am sending you my very last email message as president and CEO of UCSF Health!
I will retire from UC at the end of this month. As I've been able to tell many of you in person and on Zoom calls over the past several weeks and months, I'm profoundly grateful for the friendship, partnership and support you've extended me over these past two decades. Together, we've accomplished so much for our patients, for our communities and for UCSF. Being a member of your UCSF team has been the personal and professional highlight of my life. To the entire UCSF community, THANK YOU.
As I transition to my new life after UCSF, I want to leave you with three requests.
First, please never forget to put the interests of patients first in everything you do. They are counting on you to do this, at a time when they are at their most vulnerable. And remember that many of our patients have been disadvantaged because of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, socioeconomic status or some other variable, resulting in significant health inequities right here in our own communities. Please prioritize ensuring that high quality health care is available to ALL patients in our community. Doing so is a special responsibility we have as a leading public university exclusively focused on health and health care.
Second, remember that our greatest asset at UCSF is this amazing community of caring, talented, committed people bound together by our commitment to our PRIDE (Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity, Excellence) values. To the UCSF Health community, keep your aspirations bold and remember that the strength of...