{"id":72834,"date":"2022-02-07T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-07T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2022\/02\/07\/chancellor-talks-campus-updates-and-covid-19\/"},"modified":"2025-02-26T14:29:19","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T20:29:19","slug":"chancellor-talks-campus-updates-and-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2022\/02\/07\/chancellor-talks-campus-updates-and-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Chancellor talks campus updates and COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents will vote Feb. 11 on the demolition of the vacated J.P. Lord, Munroe-Meyer Institute and Hattie B. Munroe facilities on the UNMC campus.<\/p>\n

“These buildings are old \u2026 and the site needs significant remediation,” UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, said during his Feb. 3 all-campus forum. “There is a tremendous legacy as we turn the page and look to the future.”<\/p>\n

Demolition of the four distinct\u00a0but physically attached facilities, which served the clinical, occupational and research needs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, will provide space, in part, for the future home of Project NExT, a public-private partnership that creates a federal, all-hazard health security disease response space.<\/p>\n

UNMC plans to repurpose the playground equipment at the vacant MMI building and is working with a campground in North Omaha.<\/p>\n

Dr. Gold also shared the City of Omaha\u2019s plans for a modern streetcar from downtown to UNMC, which will provide public transportation to campus. Pending City Council approval, the streetcar creates a significant level of excitement and economic impact along the proposed route, he said.<\/p>\n

On the COVID-19 front, Dr. Gold said national, state and community cases are beginning to fall, but hospitalizations and case fatality rates are still high. Vaccinations and boosters remain effective, even with the BA.2 variant, a subtype of the omicron BA.1 variant.<\/p>\n

UNMC faculty, staff and students are expected to get their booster when eligible. Moderna\u2019s COVID-19 vaccine recently received full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in people ages 18 and older. There is currently no difference between the approved vaccine and the vaccine previously available through emergency use authorization. The Pfizer vaccine was approved for use in people age 16 and older in August\u00a0and also has been authorized for use in individuals 5 to 15.<\/p>\n

Dr. Gold said trials are underway by both Pfizer and Moderna for omicron-specific boosters; results and recommendations will be forthcoming as the clinical trials proceed. Pfizer has recently submitted data to the FDA requesting approval for a reduced dose for 2- to 5-year-olds.<\/p>\n

Jane Meza, PhD, interim executive director for health security for UNMC and the University of Nebraska at Omaha, joined the chancellor and outlined current campus guidance, which includes wearing KN95s in all indoor spaces. This includes, she said, study spaces such as the McGoogan Health Sciences Library, unless you are alone in an individual study room. Failure to wear a mask is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, she said, and individuals may risk losing access to the library.<\/p>\n

Campus leaders, she said, will make changes as the science and data warrants.<\/p>\n

Read the latest campus COVID-19 guidance<\/a> on masking, testing, exposures, research, gatherings and more. Questions? Email the Office of Health Security<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Individuals planning summer and fall campus events should complete an event planning form based on current campus guidance, Dr. Meza said, noting flexibility is key because “COVID has its own opinion on things.”<\/p>\n

Dr. Gold agreed: “COVID keeps surprising us with new and different variants and subtypes.” Therefore, he said, it\u2019s important that supervisors and employees remain flexible with work and learning arrangements and that campus guidance take into account the nature of future variants, including their severity, transmission patterns and impact on our community infrastructure.<\/p>\n

In other matters, Dr. Gold said:<\/p>\n