Update on Research Activities

January 5, 2022

Dear Research Colleagues,

We continue to carefully follow developments with the COVID-19 omicron variant.  As is being broadly reported, cases are at record levels in Colorado. Despite these challenges, we remain confident that we can continue to fulfill our research mission with our continued commitment to established safety protocols, including the appropriate use of masks and physical distancing.  

Please be sure to carefully review the Chancellor’s Message from yesterday, which contains several important updates related to remote work, self reporting, testing and more. The update also announced that boosters are now required for all CU Anschutz faculty, students and staff beginning January 24.

If you haven’t already, please schedule your booster vaccination as soon as possible. Data show that a booster significantly increases protection against symptomatic disease.

Laboratory Research

• You may continue to come to campus to complete work that needs to be done onsite (e.g. lab bench work). When possible, we encourage you to perform other work remotely (e.g. data analysis) in coordination with your supervisor.
• All in-person meetings, including lab meetings, are on hold until January 24. These should be conducted virtually.
• Wear masks in the laboratory setting at all times unless working alone in a completed enclosed workspace (with a ceiling, four walls, and a closed door). 
• Continue to follow established COVID protocols for physical distancing and masking while on campus.

Clinical/Community Research

• Currently, no changes are planned to clinical research or community visits. Continue to follow established COVID protocols while on campus.
• Continue to COVID screen participants prior to visits and at the beginning of each visit. Participants and members of the research team are required to follow all facility rules and COVID-related protocols when seeing patients.
• All in-person meetings, including PI meetings or site initiation visits, are on hold until January 24. These should be conducted virtually. Limit site monitoring visits where feasible. All monitors must be fully vaccinated. 
• Whenever possible, we encourage you to perform other work remotely (e.g. data entry) in coordination with your supervisor.
• Continue to coordinate with the relevant clinical site/community partners regarding in-person activities, as they may have additional restrictions in place.

OLAR

• You may continue your current on-campus activities in the vivarium.
• To the extent possible, please make active efforts to limit the amount of time and number of personnel entering the vivarium.  
• Wear masks at all times unless working alone in a housing or procedure room.

We recognize that this is a challenging time for many of us. Please support one another, ask for help when you need it and take advantage of the many available campus mental health resources. 

I thank you for your continued flexibility and collective dedication to the health and well-being of our team as we navigate these latest challenges as a research community.

Sincerely,

Thomas Flaig, MD
Vice Chancellor for Research
University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus