Last updated June 2, 2020

Safety Precautions for All Researchers

• Personnel must not come to campus if they feel sick or if suffering from any of the known COVID-19 symptoms. Affected employees or those who have been exposed to an individual with COVID-19 symptoms should contact Occupational Health and should not return to campus until cleared to do so by Occupational Health.
• Everyone in research facilities is strongly encouraged to wear masks in nonclinical areas of our campus. This includes laboratories, conference rooms, restrooms, food service areas, break rooms, elevators, and hallways. Physical distancing of at least 6 feet is also recommended where possible.
• Personnel should wash their hands regularly and make frequent use of hand sanitizer stations located throughout the campus.
• Between personnel shifts or between uses of shared equipment (e.g., centrifuges, PCR machines, tissue culture hoods, computers), surfaces should be wiped down with a solution of 70% ethanol or 10% diluted bleach. Keep in mind that ethanol is flammable and bleach is caustic.

Guidelines for Resuming Laboratory Operations

• Laboratories and core facilities may staff up to 100% of normal occupancy.
• Standard laboratory safety practices must also be followed at all times in wet-bench laboratories, including wearing gloves, safety glasses, and lab coats.

Guidelines for Resuming Clinical Research Operations

Clinical Departments should decide which patient research activities should be re-established first, focusing on activities that have a clear real or potential therapeutic benefit to study participants. PIs should also assess whether each participant’s safety, welfare, and rights are best served by continuing as a study participant in the trial or by discontinuing the administration of the investigational product or even participation in the trial.

• Clinical research activities must adhere to UT Southwestern ambulatory clinic guidelines for the phased reopening of clinical services. This applies to clinical trial activities conducted in hospital-based and ambulatory clinics and in academic space outside of areas approved before clinical operations.
• As per ambulatory clinic plans, up to 50% of patient research may resume in ambulatory clinics with 10% incremental increases in clinical trial activities weekly. Restrictions on clinical research will be lifted in conjunction with those in ambulatory areas.
• For nontherapeutic human research studies, PIs should limit study activities requiring direct subject contact to 50% or less. As with therapeutic trials, investigators should ensure that any ancillary services can be accommodated by the providing service before resuming the study.
• Remote visits must be used where possible and the number of visitors to campus minimized. This includes participants, patients, monitors, and auditors and applies to nontherapeutic visits, screening, enrollment, safety assessments, surveys, follow-ups, etc.
• When remote visits are not feasible, study teams must adhere to guiding safety principles including limiting the duration of time and number of staff in contact with patients, limiting participant/patient contact by high-vulnerability staff, and verifying the availability of adequate cleaning materials, gloves, and PPE.
• Research visits must be limited to the study participant and a single accompanying individual; both individuals should have normal temperatures documented prior to building entry. Face masks are required for study participants, accompanying individuals, and staff.