COVID-19: Guidance
for the UD Research Community

April 27, 2020

Dear Colleagues,

In an effort to keep our research community connected and informed, I invite you to our next Virtual Town Hall. We will cover a broad range of important updates, provide actionable guidance and address questions, as always. Please join us.

Research Office Virtual Town Hall Tuesday, April 28, 1-2 p.m.

Thank you for your continuing collaboration and cooperation.

Stay Safe, Stay Healthy,

April 2, 2020

Dear Colleagues,

In an effort to keep our research community connected and informed, I invite you to our next Virtual Town Hall. We will cover a broad range of important updates, provide actionable guidance and address questions, as always. Please join us.

Research Office Virtual Town Hall Tuesday, April 7, 1-2 p.m.

Thank you for your continuing collaboration and cooperation.

Stay Safe, Stay Healthy,

March 27, 2020

Dear Colleagues,

In an effort to keep our research community connected and informed, I’d like to invite you to our next Virtual Town Hall. We will cover a broad range of important updates and will address questions, as always. Please join us.

Research Office Virtual Town Hall

Tuesday, March 31, 1-2 p.m.

Thank you for your continuing collaboration and cooperation.

Sincerely,

March 23, 2020

Dear Colleagues,

In an effort to keep our research community connected and informed, I’d like to invite you to our next Virtual Town Hall. We’ll be covering a broad range of topics, from campus operations updates to grants administration, and ways you can help our local community at this time.

Research Office Virtual Town Hall

Tuesday, March 24, 1-2 p.m.

Thank you for your continuing collaboration and cooperation.

Sincerely,

March 15, 2020

Dear Members of the UD Research Community,

As President Assanis announced this evening, all research laboratories and core facilities are ramping down immediately for a period of two weeks and potentially much longer. Access to these facilities will be limited to only critical activities such as animal care and maintaining unique reagents and cell cultures, essential equipment and materials. This suspension of operations takes effect at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17.

To handle this transition swiftly and in an orderly fashion, we are asking principal investigators and laboratory managers to complete information in BioRaft, the online platform managed by Environmental Health and Safety. An automated message will be sent from BioRaft to principal investigators and lab managers this evening asking to confirm that your laboratory is closed and to identify 2-3 essential personnel/PI who would need to have access if critical duties are necessary. If you are a principal investigator/lab manager and do not receive a message, please contact EHS Director Mike Gladle at mgladle@udel.edu.

We realize that you have questions and concerns. We are available to answer your questions and provide these key resources for your assistance:

• Researcher Guidance webpage with Email Contact (UDresearch@udel.edu)
• Virtual Town Hall — Monday, March 16 — Noon-1 p.m.
• Virtual Town Hall — Tuesday, March 17 — 11 a.m.-noon

Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to keeping our community safe.

Sincerely,

March 11, 2020

TO: UD Researchers Working with Human Subjects

FROM: Charles G. Riordan Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Innovation

RE: COVID-19 Guidance for Human Subjects Research

An important source of visitors and human interactions on our campus is research with human subjects in our clinics and laboratories. At this time, research at UD involving human subjects should continue as previously scheduled with the implementation of additional preventive hygiene and screening protocols:

• Wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly and often. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Cough/sneeze into your elbow. If you use a tissue, dispose of it right away. Stay home if you are sick and avoid contact with others.
• Effective Immediately: Check with participants scheduled to complete a research visit in the next few weeks. This should be done as close to the scheduled visit date as is feasible and prior to starting research procedures the day of the visit. The following script and questions are recommended:

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  Hi, I am calling from the University of Delaware in reference to your upcoming appointment on [Date] for [Study X].

  • If the person does not answer, leave a message with instructions and the number to call back. If the person picks up the call, proceed with the following questions, which also should be asked at the beginning of their visit:

  With the current concerns regarding the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S., we would like to ask you a few questions to ensure your safety and that of our researchers and campus community:

  1. Have you traveled in the past 14 days to any country on the CDC level 2 or 3 travel alert, currently China, Italy, South Korea, Iran or Japan?
  2. Have you been in contact with anyone who has traveled outside the U.S. and/or has been diagnosed with the coronavirus?
  3. Do you have any respiratory illness symptoms? Cold, cough, fever over 100°F, shortness of breath, etc.
  • If yes to any of the above, cancel/postpone the upcoming research appointment. If yes to questions 1 or 2, ask the individual to contact the Delaware Division of Public Health at 1-866-408-1899 so they can be advised about self-monitoring guidance or discuss their symptoms.
  • If the subject presents symptoms upon arrival to the research visit, cancel/postpone the visit, provide them with a mask if available and ask them to contact their medical provider.
• The above screening is not considered part of the research protocol and does not need Institutional Review Board (IRB) review and approval prior to implementation.

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Questions related to human subjects research should be directed to the UD IRB at hsrb-research@udel.edu. General questions regarding UD prevention and response plans to COVID-19 should be emailed to coronavirus@udel.edu.

March 11, 2020

Dear UD Research Community,

The University of Delaware continues to closely monitor the COVID-19 coronavirus and to follow the guidance of public health officials. As President Assanis announced today, one person connected to the University of Delaware has tested positive for COVID-19 and all classes scheduled for Thursday and Friday are cancelled. Please visit UD’s Coronavirus webpage frequently for updated information.

At the present time, UD researchers can continue their research, including laboratory and core facility activities. However, this is an evolving situation and we want researchers to be prepared for the possibility of a significant disruption should the situation warrant.

The Research Office has developed a webpage with guidance, considerations and actions you can take to prepare your research teams and facilities:

COVID-19: Reducing Impacts to UD Research

We also include a number of Frequently Asked Questions and are available to help answer research-specific questions you may have at UDResearch@udel.edu.

The safety of the University community is paramount. Protect yourself and others from illness by washing your hands with soap and water frequently; don’t touch your face; and cover your cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue. Clean frequently touched surfaces such as cellphones, door handles and countertops.

If students feel overwhelmed, they can contact the Center for Counseling & Student Development at (302) 831-2141 or (302) 831-1001 for after-hours emergencies, or Student Health Services at (302) 831-2226 or University Police at (302) 831-UDPD. Faculty and staff may contact the Employee Assistance Program within Human Resources at (302) 831-2171.

Sincerely,