Institutions say they have been given ‘far too short notice’ and need to prioritise the safety of staff and students
Several researchers and university spokespeople have said they do not expect a return to labs soon, despite the government’s attempt to reopen parts of the economy, including research facilities, from mid-May.
Some universities say they have been given “far too short notice” to get their staff back to labs and others are only starting to work on measures to do so.
Prime minister Boris Johnson said that all workers who could not work from home “should travel to work if their workplace is open” from 13 May. Scientific labs were singled out as workplaces that should be open—but universities have not rushed to comply.
Mark Searcey, pro vice-chancellor for science at the University of East Anglia, said that research staff were unlikely to be back before the end of May since universities were given “far too short notice” to put the right safety measures in place.
“We are developing plans to bring back research laboratory workers so that social distancing can be maintained, perhaps through working in shifts as well as in controlled waves of returners, so that perhaps in the first instance, 20 per cent of lab workers will return,” Searcey said.
He explained that decisions would need to factor in effects on technical support staff, cleaning and how to set up social distancing on campus.
His views were echoed by several other universities.
An Imperial College London document for staff and students, seen by Research Fortnight, highlights the issues involved in striking a balance between “the need and desire to restart research, while ensuring the safety and wellbeing of staff and students is prioritised”.
For example, Imperial urges extra care for clinical fellows who are “returning from an intense period of pressurised work” with the NHS. “Some staff may not be working at full strength on their return and may feel anxious about the disruption to their research projects,” the document says. “It needs to be clear that we understand this and will support them in working towards normalisation.”
An Imperial PhD student in molecular microbiology, who did not wish to be named, said that pending health and safety approval his building would be reopening, with limited capacity and extended opening hours, on 1 June.
“My main concerns are public transport and future costs if I need some sort of costed extension,” he said. “While I am supportive of opening up the centre for longer hours to enable some sort of shift work, this would require a rethink of health and safety concerns such as lone working, and how this would fit with a work-life balance.”
This article also appeared in Research Fortnight