Responding to COVID-19: Purdue Research
It is critically important that all students, faculty and staff monitor for and report any COVID-19-related symptoms to the Protect Purdue Health Center by calling 765-496-INFO (4636) or toll-free at 833-571-1043.
What you need to know now:
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- Research-related visitors to on-campus buildings or facilities guidance & checklist (July 6, 2021)
- Get vaccinated against COVID-19 to Protect Purdue.
- Guidelines for undergraduate research (June 25, 2021)
- COVID-19 cleaning and disinfecting guidelines for laboratories and research spaces
- Guidelines for eating and drinking on campus
- New guidelines issued for use of face shields
- Process for securing COVID-19 essential supplies
- Guidance for off-campus research activities in the U.S. (June 30, 2020)
- Research-related visitors to on-campus buildings or facilities guidance & checklist (March 1, 2021)
Current Research Operations (Updated: June 24, 2021)
We are pleased to announce that effective immediately, research spaces can return to pre-COVID-19 operations, with the exception of the continued use of face masks. Face mask usage will become optional for those who are vaccinated, beginning July 1. This will enable researchers to return to 100% capacity in their research spaces. As a result, any layout, scheduling, or other changes implemented to accommodate COVID-19 can be rescinded and these components of Research Space SOPs will be unnecessary. In conjunction with this, IRB approval will no longer require an approved Research Space SOP. However, we ask that you continue to keep your personnel lists updated through the SOP portal to facilitate continued tracking of any research COVID-19 cases, particularly as we implement this relaxation of protocols. Should you require the support of Facilities to modify your research spaces, this can be accomplished through a work order.
In response to these or any other changes implemented across campus, you should not be tracking or requiring proof of vaccination from others in your group. In alignment with Protect Purdue policies, we expect individuals to take personal responsibility for following guidelines.
This decision has been made with input from the Protect Purdue Leadership Team and the Medical Advisory Team and affects all researchers, regardless of vaccination status. Around this time last year, we were beginning to re-open research spaces and allow researchers back into their labs under COVID-19 restrictions. Because of your diligence in following the protocols developed in your SOPs, we are thrilled that we are in the position to re-open operations. Thank you for your flexibility, hard work, and dedication during this time. Should you have any questions, please contact Michelle Dennis at mlong1@purdue.edu.
Research – Frequently Asked Questions
Research Space SOPs are now only used to track personnel associated with research spaces for contact tracing purposes and to monitor any potential COVID-19 trends in these spaces. We ask that you continue to update lab personnel accessing your space in the SOP portal. We will also use this information to continue sending research space points of contact notification of a COVID-positive individual associated with their space. You can also create a new SOP and include personnel for any new research spaces you will be using.
Previous functions of the SOPs, such as protocols to maintain social distancing, layout changes, and scheduling plans are no longer relevant or available on the portal.
Yes, consistent with Summer and Fall Visitor Guidelines, the Purdue Research-Related Campus Visitor Safety Checklist should still be used for visitors accessing research spaces. REM has updated the COVID-19 Safety Training Video that accompanies this checklist to reflect updated campus policies.
The COVID-19 Safety Training Video is still required for visitors and has been updated to reflect recent policy changes. It can be found here. Any required training for faculty and staff will be administered through SuccessFactors and for students through MyPurdue.
While these are separately managed spaces, REM has relaxed social distancing requirements for offices through their Purdue COVID-19 Building Standard Operating Guidelines. Rather than mandating a capacity limit (e.g., 50%), it is instead recommended that you reduce occupancy for shared or group offices.
You no longer need to post the “Status – Green” Research Space SOP signage at your lab. In addition, Facilities has created new signage that reflects the change in face mask requirements, found here.
Yes, face masks are also now optional for visitors to campus who are fully vaccinated, including research participants. You should not ask about these individual’s vaccination status or request proof of vaccination status. Instead, you should inform them of the policy, enabling them to determine what PPE is required.
Instructional spacesinclude any scheduled class or academic activity (e.g. help session, supplemental instruction, orientation, etc.) that is operating under the Overarching SOP for Classrooms, Instructional Laboratories, and Experiential Courses Summer 2021 PDFavailable on the Innovative Learning website. For any spaces not falling under this definition (including but not limited to research spaces, offices, public spaces), face masks are optional for those who are fully vaccinated. Read the full face mask protocols here.
No, you should not be tracking other’s vaccination status or requesting that they show proof of vaccination. This information is being tracked at the university level and used to inform decisions on changes to policies and guidelines. To account for multi-person settings that may include both those fully vaccinated, and those who are not, it is instead appropriate to ask if people are comfortable removing their masks. Beyond this, it is up to the individual to determine what layers of protection are required or appropriate in alignment with Protect Purdue policies.