The “Research Ramp-Up Road Map,” released on June 11, 2020, serves as a comprehensive guide for academic and research institutions seeking to resume on-campus laboratory, animal, and human subjects research as COVID-19 restrictions are eased. The document provides an annotated checklist approach, helping institutions navigate complex and regionally variable considerations associated with safely restarting research activities. It emphasizes the need for a phased reopening process grounded in public health guidance, including social distancing, hygiene, PPE usage, symptom monitoring, and rapid response to emergent health threats. The roadmap outlines the critical importance of iterative planning, robust risk assessment, ongoing communication, and institutional flexibility, particularly in ensuring personnel safety and facility readiness.
Specific guidance is included for both animal and human subjects research, highlighting the necessity of emergency preparedness, resource management, and compliance with regulatory oversight. Institutions are advised to consider the welfare of vulnerable populations, maintain legal and ethical privacy protections, and proactively address potential staff shortages and PPE supply chain challenges. The document also details the importance of maintaining adequate support services, regular disinfection protocols, and controlled facility access to ensure overall operational safety. Recognizing the unpredictable evolution of the pandemic, it stresses that ramp-up strategies must be adaptable and include clear retrenchment protocols should conditions necessitate renewed restrictions. Overall, the Road Map acts as both a flexible framework and a repository of best practices, supporting institutions in developing tailored, practical solutions for the safe resumption and potential retrenchment of research operations during the ongoing public health crisis.
