Research-specific Coronavirus COVID-19 Information

Research, Innovation & Impact is providing up-to-date policy and planning information specific to managing research activities impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. For campus-wide announcements and updates related to COVID-19, please the University of Arizona’s official Coronavirus webpage.

Latest RII Announcements

March 26, 2020 UA Occupational Health Temporary Clinic Operational Changes
March 18, 2020 Procedure for Temporary Laboratory Closure
March 18, 2020 Communicating Health Information Online
March 18, 2020 COVID-19 Guidance for Research Safety
March 17, 2020 Call for Expertise - COVID-19 Research Coordination Group
March 16, 2020 University of Arizona IRB Update on COVID-19 Response
March 14, 2020 COVID-19 Guidance for Research Students and Postdocs
March 13, 2020 COVID-19 Campus Mitigation Plan / Research Continuity Update
March 11, 2020 COVID-19 Campus Mitigation Plan (Research)

 

Additional Announcements

March 19, 2020 US State Department has raised the travel advisory
March 24, 2020 COVID-19 Scams: Safe Computing Tips

 

Updates by Research Topic

Last updated:
March 27, 2020 4:45pm

To report concerns about legal, regulatory, or policy violations or unethical conduct, please contact the University of Arizona’s Ethics and Compliance Hotline, an anonymous, 24/7 resource. More information also can be found in the Whistleblower Awareness Training module in UAccess Learning.

Last updated:
March 24, 2020 10:45am

Reporting Time during the COVID-19 Response 

  • Salary charges on sponsored projects: The NSF, NIH, and the DOD are the only sponsors to offer formal guidance. See the Federal Agency Guidance section for details.  The University of Arizona's policy treats all funds consistently with regard to charging salaries and benefits during periods when no work is performed due to the effect of COVID-19, so these charges are allowable on grants where the sponsor is following the March 19, 2020 OMB memo.  
  • Information on other sponsors will be posted as soon as it is available. 

14.17 Travel Changes and Cancellations

UITS Resources for working remotely  

COGR FAQs:  COVID-19 Impacts on Federal Awards 

Last updated:
March 15, 2020 10:30am

Research Administration & Compliance:  Continuity plans for Sponsored Projects & Contracting Services (SPCS), the Human Subjects Protection Program (HSPP), Research Laboratory & Safety Services (RLSS), the Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) will enable staff to provide services while working remotely.  In the event of illness or quarantine, services may be delayed.  

Tech Launch Arizona, Tech Parks, and Arizona FORGE are also developing plans to provide services while working remotely.   

Core Facilities are developing plans to cover various scenarios.  

Last updated:
March 27, 2020 10:45pm
Last updated:
March 27, 2020 9:30pm

National Science Foundation (NSF) 

National Institutes of Health (NIH) 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 

U.S. Department of Agriculture

U.S. Department of Energy

U.S. Department of Defense 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

U.S. Department of Justice 

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) 

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 

U.S Department of State 

  • Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs temporary push on International Exchange Programs 
    • From 3/13/20 ECA communication:  "ECA is strongly advising all current U.S. Fulbright participants to make arrangements to depart their country of assignment as soon as possible. If grantees do not leave now, there is no guarantee that the Fulbright Program will be able to assist them with department as future travel may become more challenging without notice, including reduced air service and requirements for quarantine.  All U.S. participants who have begun their awards will continue to receive their Fulbright grants payments through June 30, 2020."  

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)

National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) 

Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) 

Last updated:
March 19, 2020 3:45pm
Last updated:
March 16, 2020 9:00am

Please follow and reference UArizona guidance and travel policy.  Information on cancellations and reimbursement of charges is in 14.17 Travel Changes and Cancellations.  Because our policy is consistent across funding sources, these charges are generally allowable on sponsored projects.  

Sponsoring agencies, including federal sponsors, may issue additional guidance on travel and cost allowability.  Until that guidance is posted, University of Arizona travel guidelines should be followed. 

Refundable tickets and flight insurance may be considered on a case-by-case basis with a business justification.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Notice of Arrival Restrictions on China, Iran, and Schengen Countries of Europe 

Last updated:
March 15, 2020 10:45am

The Human Subjects Protection Program is working remotely.  

We encourage decreasing the number of protocol-mandated in-person study visits to healthcare facilities or replacing protocol-mandated visits to healthcare facilities with home visits or telemedicine options, if these are feasible and do not negatively impact participant safety.  These modifications to a protocol must be approved by the UA IRB prior to implementation.  Protocol deviations can be made to eliminate immediate risks to subjects.   

HSPP will operate according to a normal schedule, and may have staff working remotely as the situation unfolds.  IRB committee meetings will take place via videoconference.   

University of Arizona IRB Update on COVID-19 Response

FDA Guidance on Conduct of Clinical Trials of Medical Products during COVID-19 Pandemic 

Last updated:
March 18, 2020 12:15pm

The Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued a bulletin providing information and reminders regarding how patient information may be shared during the outbreak of disease or other emergency situations.

“In light of the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)is providing this bulletin to ensure that HIPAA covered entities and their business associates are aware of the ways that patient information may be shared under the HIPAA Privacy Rule in an outbreak of infectious disease or other emergency situation, and to serve as a reminder that the protections of the Privacy Rule are not set aside during an emergency. The HIPAA Privacy Rule protects the privacy of patients’ health information (protected health information) but is balanced to ensure that appropriate uses and disclosures of the information still may be made when necessary to treat a patient, to protect the nation’s public health, and for other critical purposes.”

HIPAA Privacy and Novel Coronavirus Bulletin

Please reach out to the HIPAA Privacy Program if you have any questions or concerns.

Communicating Health Information Online (March 18, 2020)

Last updated:
March 18, 2020 10:30am

UAC has been working in concert with UA/RII leadership to prepare for potential staff and supply shortages that may develop as a result of this pandemic. UAC will continue operations with limited changes to mitigate potential impact. These changes are distributed by listserv to the UAC user group. Please contact UAC directly if you have questions or concerns.

IACUC will operate according to a normal schedule, and may have staff working remotely as the situation unfolds.  Committee meetings will take place via video conference. 

NIH Flexibilities for Assured Institutions for Activities of IACUCs Due to COVID-19

Last updated:
March 18, 2020 1:45pm

Research Laboratory & Safety Services (RLSS) will operate under a normal schedule, and may have staff working remotely as the situation unfolds.  Staff will maintain essential functions in the event of a campus closure.  

COVID-19 Guidance for Research Safety (March 18, 2020)

Procedure for Temporary Laboratory Closure (March 18, 2020

 

Last updated:
March 16, 2020 12:00pm

In compliance with recent university directives, the Occupational Health staff will be working remotely. As such, our medical clinic will be closed and all clinical services will be suspended to include provider visits, vaccinations, lab work and routine respirator fit testing. We will continue to provide administrative services as our capabilities allow.

We will reschedule all appointments when we are able to return to campus. Our staff will still make arrangements for critical visits, if the need arises. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. 

If you have any questions, or need assistance, please feel free to contact our program manager Jim Metras at jamesmetras@email.arizona.edu or on his cell phone at 520-780-8023.

 

Last updated:
March 27, 2020 10:30pm