SCRC

OC Health Notification

OC Health Notification

**COVID-19 Update 03/17/20**

Starting March, 21st - May, 1st 2020

Dear SCRC members,

In response to the guidance from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, the SCRC plans to ramp down non-critical research including our core services in flow cytometry, imaging and non-imaging equipment (including training), cell culture techniques and training, as well as CRISPR gene editing.

PIs and core users are asked to:

  • Refrain from creating new bookings that relate to non-essential experiments
  • Cancel current bookings that relate to non-essential
  • Identify currently booked sessions that relate to critical*experiments

Confirm with core lab personnel to ensure these bookings will proceed and contact core lab personnel with questions, concerns.

Essential experiments are:

  • Those for which cessation would be in conflict with funding agreements (consult with personnel in SPA or Beall Applied Innovation as applicable to assist you with determining if this is the case);
  • Where the phasing down and restarting of the research would cause irreparable harm to the research project/program; or
  • Related to improving general knowledge about the SARS CoV-2 virus (which causes the COVID-19 illness), and reducing the spread of COVID-19, including the development and testing of vaccine candidates. 

If you are requesting a meeting that is for a critical* experiment and are feeling sick or think you might be coming down with something, please wait until symptoms fully subside. If you begin to feel any symptoms after scheduling a meeting, please request to be rescheduled. The symptoms do not have to be related to COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath); we want to limit any illness that might lower anyone's immune system at this time. Since our equipment is shared by so many individuals, exposure is high.

Disinfectant spray bottles have been added to the shared Core rooms. For your own safety, please wipe down equipment, keyboards, mouse, etc. (anything you touch/will touch) before and after use. Do not spray directly on the equipment, please spray the paper towels to wipe down, and dry. Please wash your hands before and after use as well.

If you feel more comfortable doing so, I am allowing all current equipment to be used with gloves but it is not mandatory (except for those with signs indicating that gloves are required).

For equipment with a 24 hour policy, if you wish will to cancel less than 24 hours due to illness, taking care of someone who might be ill, not feeling comfortable continuing your scheduled session, or any other reason due COVID-19, please email Vanessa or I and we will cancel your session at no charge.

These changes will apply to all shared equipment (both mine and Vanessa's). As the COVID-19 situation will continue to change in the next several weeks, additional changes might be made. Please keep an eye out for additional notifications.

Warm regards,
Allia Fawaz