UC San Diego Health Sciences comprises the region’s only
academic health system, one of the nation’s top research-intensive schools of medicine, the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Longevity Science and the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
First confirmed cases outside mainland China are reported in Japan, South Korea and Thailand. The first U.S. case is confirmed the next day: a man in Washington State after returning from a trip to Wuhan.
UC San Diego Health receives its first four patients suspected of having COVID-19, all evacuees from Wuhan. Health system declares a Code Orange, implementing Hospital Command Center to coordinate emergency response.
World Health Organization (WHO) formally names the disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2: COVID-19 (CO for corona, VI for virus and D for disease).
The Expedited COVID IdenTification Environment, or EXCITE lab, opens on the UC San Diego School of Medicine campus to provide COVID-19 testing to the campus, local schools and first responders.
Vaccination Super Station at Petco Park opens, in partnership with county, city and San Diego Padres. It is the first mass vaccination site in the state, with the capacity to vaccinate up to 5,000 persons daily.
UC San Diego Health announces partnership with County of San Diego to conduct SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing pilot program at local schools and childcare centers.
UC San Diego Health researchers announce participation in a new national clinical trial of college students, to assess how well vaccination prevents transmission and infection.
Working with coalition of U.S. companies and Mexican government, UC San Diego Health deploys mobile clinic to vaccinate 10,000 maquiladora workers over seven days. Operations would subsequently expand to vaccinate thousands more.
President Biden targeted this date to have 70 percent or 160 million American adults inoculated with at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Actual percentage reached is 67, translating to 3.4 to 5.2 million eligible adults who remained unvaccinated.
California reaches vaccine milestone, with more than 80 percent of eligible people have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. San Diego Unified School District school year begins, with children and teachers required to wear masks indoors.
President Biden announces federal vaccine mandate for as many as 100 million Americans, including health care workers, federal contractors and private sector employees.
FDA authorizes COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine booster for Americans 65 and older and those at high risk of severe COVID-19 illness. One day later, CDC panel concurs, but CDC director Rochelle Walensky overrules panel, expands access to those in high-risk jobs and settings, such as health care workers.
UC San Diego resumes in-person classes. California announces plan to immediately begin administering additional Pfizer vaccine doses to eligible state residents.
