Research Restart Plan

A rolling start approach is recommended to:

• conduct a successful restart and climb-out process that brings UArizona research back to full strength;
• fully protect our researchers, students, their human research subjects, and community partners;
• provide appropriate care for animal subjects;
• maintain compliance with all regulatory requirements.

This document represents a six-phase approach to research on campus, which will be used to restart research. The research phase the University is in will be determined by RII using a combination of factors and consultation with the new Incident Command Unit and the Associate Deans for Research.  If positive COVID-19 infections rise dramatically at any time, the University will revert to an earlier phase appropriate to the new conditions. Research sites outside of the Tucson area may be experiencing the pandemic’s effects differently than we are on the main campus. In this case, the appropriate re-entry phases in Tucson and at remote research sites may not match. Researchers will need to understand their local conditions wherever they are and be able to classify their situations appropriately. It is only by such agile decision making that UArizona researchers will be able to mitigate the possibility of placing a community at elevated risk by conducting research there.

In this document, field research includes but is not limited to all research taking place off-campus, in settings that involve human co-location or interaction, or that require travel (including locally) to reach them. This could include, but is not limited to, environmental and agricultural research at field stations, social science research in community settings, humanities research in off-campus archives, and creative productions in off-campus arts or related venues.

The campus must deploy primary public health controls to slow the transmission and reduce the mortality associated with COVID-19. These control measures include:  

• availability of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE);
• environmental measures such as enhanced cleaning and disinfection, physical distancing, testing, and contact tracing;
• the readiness of the campus and local health care systems and the campus infrastructure. 

Dependencies

An effective and compliant research restart will require many people from many areas of campus to collaborate. This document is not meant to duplicate or supersede guidance on areas that are not in the purview of Research, Innovation & Impact (RII), such as, but not limited to: 

NEWS: 

Phase 4 Checklist (Qualtrics) - checklist was closed on June 11. 

Fully approved Phase 3 checklists are still valid. The Phase 3 checklist survey will be closed on Friday, April 2.  Any checklists not fully approved by April 2 must be re-entered in the Phase 4 checklist.  

Word Version of Phase 4 checklist (for planning purposes only. The checklist must be submitted via the qualtrics tool linked above). 

Checklist FAQs 

If you have an appointment with more than one department/college, please work with those units to ensure you are following their guidance and instructions on the checklist process before submitting your checklist. 

Return to the University Workplace

Human Subjects - Documents approved June 23, 2020 

• Resuming Human Studies 
• Consent Script 
• During Your Research Visit Flyer 
• Participant Wellness Check 

Research Guidance in Response to New Visitor Restriction Policy for Banner Facilities (November 2020) 

Handling Human Samples (RLSS Guidance) 

Field Research Approved October 26, 2020

• Social Science Research Council:  Resuming Field Research in Pandemic Times 

A return to the safe operation of research on campus requires the implementation of multiple mitigation strategies. Contact RLSS if you would like help assessing your situation and determining the best strategies for research re-entry. Best practices should include:

Implement multiple mitigation strategies that together provide a high level of safety. One of these must be physical distancing to the extent possible.

• Researchers should work remotely as much as possible and engage human subjects remotely where possible (and with IRB approval).
• Perform daily wellness checks, stay home if exhibiting any symptoms, and contact their health care provider.
• Maintain physical distance of 6 feet 
• Single occupancy only in vehicles when traveling to and from field sites for field research.

Utilize engineering controls to prevent transmission and researcher exposures by:

• Blocking pathways and placing cues on the floor to indicate acceptable physical distances for workers.
• Removing unneeded soft or porous surfaces and covering remaining porous surfaces (e.g., fabric chairs) with nonporous and disposable materials such as plastic covers.
• Ensuring that conventional lab and room ventilation works appropriately; and if possible, increasing air changes per hour rates in all workspaces.
• Segregating workspaces to comply with CDC guidance on distancing. 

Create and implement new work practices to reduce COVID-19 transmission, such as:

• Creating shifts (AM/PM) or altered schedules (e.g., alternating days, weeks, etc.).
• Disinfecting all frequently touched surfaces at least once daily, with higher traffic areas being cleaned more often.
• Modifying work tasks to increase distancing.
• Washing hands frequently, following CDC guidelines.
• COVID19 Cleaning Guidance from University of Arizona Facilities Management.

In addition to the above controls and new work practices, use of personal protective equipment, e.g. face masks, face shields, and/or respirators, are the primary controls.

• CDC guidelines for facial coverings should be strictly adhered to; and
• Masks should not interfere with other PPE, like safety goggles or face shields.

Local External Conditions 

Situation unknown and changing 

COVID-19 hospitalizations on the rise, testing limited, PPE shortage 

Summary

Only research defined as essential is allowed, and researchers must have an approved waiver for such activities. 

Essential research may include:

• Research involving humans, animals, and plants
• COVID-19 research (studies of COVID-19 and/or the treatment of patients with COVID-19) 
• Catastrophic loss (experiments that cannot be stopped immediately without irreplaceable loss of important cells, human and animal subjects, crops, materials, long-term data collection, equipment)
• Significant harm to a long-term program, the continuity of which is essential 
• Student completion (requiring final experiments or continuous data collection by a student who is scheduled to graduate this semester) 

Operational Activities - ALL 

Research offices, facilities, field stations, and partners are closed, except where personnel are required to protect life, safety, and Essential research infrastructure/capability

• All units operating with minimum staffing
• Authorization limited access to faculty offices to pick up books and materials, shut down instrumentation, etc. delegated to deans
• Departments have submitted COOP / Mitigation Plans in anticipation of next Phase
• Closed labs have submitted shutdown plans to RLSS 
• Agricultural production deemed essential by Governor's executive order 

Best Practices: 

Physical distancing is the primary strategy:

• Workers should minimize their presence; stay home if symptoms are present, and contact Campus Health and/or their Primary Care Provider (PCP) if they become concerned that they’ve contracted COVID-19 
• Remote work only, except in “essential” cases
• Researchers must complete waivers to continue research operations
• Ramp work down safely and in compliance with RLSS guidance for temporary lab closures and in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements

Local External Conditions 

COVID-19 hospitalizations on the rise, testing limited, PPE shortages 

Additional State/Local directives in place curtailing activities 

Local Campus Research Conditions 

COVID-19 cases occurring within campus (research) population with evidence that these cases are resulting in transmission to additional members of the campus community 

Summary

On-campus access allow to conduct research under approved conditions, maintain research capability or prevent catastrophic disruption; extreme measures in place to assure health and safety.  

Researchers must have additional approval for Phase 2 operations via resubmitted of checklist approved for Phase 3 (if ramping down from Phase 3 or higher. 

Operational Activities - ALL  

Research access allowed to conduct research under approved conditions, maintain research capability or prevent catastrophic disruption; extreme measure in place to assure health and safety.  

• Research involving face-to-face interaction is not allowed, except in cases of clinical safety or COVID-19 research.  All human subjects work in Banner Health space is subject to their approval before proceeding.  
• Students may be approved to participate. 

Preparation for the next phase: 

• Necessary UA facilities/services are staffed and operational
• Core campus functions are staffed and operational to handle increased load (Facilities, RLSS, Campus Health, etc.) 
• Teams are able to purchase necessary supplies
• Face coverings are required on campus 
• Physical distancing and cleaning measures are well understood and in place 
• Researchers are monitoring conditions at research sites, including, but not limited to, travel regulations, site requirements for visitors, etc.,  

Local External Conditions

Local COVID-19 hospitalizations stabilize

COVID-19 testing capacity increases

PPE shortages may still exist

Public health authorities & Governor relax restrictions on ‘essential workers’

Local schools still closed/ teaching remotely for rest of academic year

Other educational and health agencies may be open (youth centers, special ed/needs providers, health services providers

Exposure Alerting Pilot begins for volunteer labs, which may include Technology-Assisted Contact Tracing (TACT), symptom query apps, PCR, and serological testing on campus

Summary

Definition of “essential”

Work under previously approved waivers, and expanded or new work must have an approved Re-Entry Checklist

Guidance drafted for non-lab-based field research & work 

All research that can be done remotely should continue in that manner

Activities meeting the CDC and University safety guidelines and having Phase 3 re-entry checklist approval can proceed at their best pace. 

Plans for sudden return to Phase 1 or 2 in place

Operational Details – ALL Activities

Examples of research activities: 

• Animal experiments where a delay would result in euthanasia or loss of a colony
• Prioritize access for students and postdocs completing their degree/term of appointment.
• Prioritize research for completion of grants where funding agency has not granted leniency on the end date. Documentation from sponsor requiring continued work may be requested. 
• Core facilities: restart facilities based on sufficient customer demand where work cannot be done remotely
• Human research coordinate with the IRB, and Banner, if applicable 

Operational Details - Non-lab based

• Seasonal data collection such as field and agricultural work, experiments close to completion, or deadline driven, where a pause or deferral would lead to catastrophic delay or loss of research results.
• Field research: expand approvals depending on what current restrictions are in the counties/states/countries where field research is to be conducted.

Preparation for the next phase:

• Core campus functions are staffed and operational to handle increased load (Facilities, RLSS, Campus Health, etc.)
• More core facilities are staffed and operational
• Research teams are able to purchase necessary supplies
• Physical distancing, face coverings, and cleaning measures are well understood and in place (e.g., face coverings for all on-campus personnel required) 
• Researchers are monitoring conditions at research sites, including, but not limited to, travel regulations, site requirements for visitors, etc.  

Phase Four will be re-evaluated at the end of Summer 2021 OR as UA directives/CDC guidance change. Vaccination status is not used to determine worksite location and cannot be used to justify activities that deviate from the Hierarchy of Controls. 

Local Conditions 

Local COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are decreasing (Pima County and 85719).

COVID-19 testing capacity near maximum of needed.

State/County/City restrictions do no hinder activities.  

Summary

Gradually expand # of people on campus while complying with UA directives on distancing and masks. 

On-campus research allowed, and personnel density guidance should be followed. All research that can be done remotely should continue to be, including all seminars, group meetings, etc.

Plans for sudden return a more restrictive Phase are in place. 

Operational Details - ALL Activities 

Approved checklists from Phase 3 remain valid. 

Those without an approved checklist from Phase 3 will complete the new Phase 4 checklist. 

Must follow UA directives on masks, distancing, building occupancy, testing, and Wildcat Wellcheck usage.  

Activities conducted at external sites are contingent on that site's policy/ability to receive UA faculty/staff/students. 

Best Practices: 

• Continue to employ physical distancing, engineering controls, and new work practices to continue to reduce transmissions. 
• Monitor the number of COVID19 cases and reassess operational posture if there is a resurgence of the virus or cases in your team’s area.

Preparation for the next Phase: 

• Updated UA directives related to on-site work. 
• Updated CDC guidance for workplaces, travel 

Summer 2021

External Conditions 

Community vaccination rate continues to increase

New cases of COVID-19 are low (less than 10/100K)

CDC/OSHA guidance on workplace activities is updated and reflected in UA guidance/directives. 

COVID-19 testing is at maximum-needed capacity.

Further relaxation of restrictions - standards for activity are based on capacity to physically distance.

Summary

Continued expansion of on-campus research while maintaining physical distancing.

On-campus research allowed, and personnel density guidance should be followed. 

All research that can be done remotely should continue to be, including all seminars, group meetings, etc.

Plans for sudden return to a more restrictive Phase are in place. 

Operational Details - ALL Activities 

Follow UA guidance 

Activities conducted at external sites are contingent on that site's policy/ability to receive UA faculty/staff/students. 

Best Practices: 

• Continue to employ physical distancing, engineering controls, and new work practices to continue to reduce transmissions. 
• Monitor the number of COVID19 cases and reassess operational posture if there is a resurgence of the virus or cases in your team’s area.

External Conditions 

Substantial community spread 

Changing CDC guidance 

Summary

On-campus research allowed 

Transition from remote work should follow UA Guidance for conversations with staff: 

• Transition announcement 
• UA HR guidance for supervisors 

Operational Details - ALL Activities 

Follow UA guidance on face coverings, testing, vaccination.  

Activities conducted at external sites are contingent on that site's policy/ability to receive UA faculty/staff/students. 

Best Practices: 

• Continue to employ physical distancing, engineering controls, and new work practices to continue to reduce transmissions. 
• Monitor the number of COVID19 cases and reassess operational posture if there is a resurgence of the virus or cases in your team’s area.  Positive Case Protocol.