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January 5, 2022

Dear Members of the Research Community,

In light of the new provincial restrictions and university planning, I am writing to inform you of some modifications to our research protocols. It is anticipated that these new directives – effective tomorrow (January 6) until further notice – will be short-term and will be revisited frequently as we monitor the situation over the coming weeks.

Human Participant Research ­­­(including fieldwork)

  • All in-person human participant research should be suspended unless there are health, safety, continuity or ethical concerns that require its continuation.
  • If your on-going research meets these criteria, email approval from your V/ADR is required to continue.
  • New research requires approval from your V/ADR and the appropriate ethics board.
  • Research that does not require in-person interactions may continue.

On-campus and affiliated sites (hospitals and MIP)

  • Research personnel who can work from home should continue to do so.
  • Researchers who require access to infrastructure/equipment should limit their time on campus or other facilities to the absolute minimum required to conduct their research.
  • If you must be on campus, please screen through MacCheck and follow all masking protocols.
  • Social distancing in labs is strongly recommended.
  • Researchers working at an affiliated site must also follow site-specific protocols.
  • Researchers working with CAF will be contacted directly with updated plans.

Fieldwork

  • Fieldwork may continue provided researchers follow all McMaster policies and all public health restrictions of the community in which the research is being conducted.
  • Continue to monitor evolving travel restrictions and advisories.

While this is certainly not an ideal way to start the new year, it is important that we do our part to support the province’s efforts through these temporary measures. I’m hopeful these modifications will be short-lived and we’ll be back to our full research capacity in the very near future.

Take care,

Karen Mossman
Vice-President, Research

 Update from the VPR: COVID-19