Posted March 1, 2021 by Dan Moser
During the rest of the spring semester, the Research Task Force will send updates as needed about campus operations that affect research and creative activities during the pandemic. Thank you for your continued diligence and participation in campus testing protocols. New updates will be posted on the COVID-19 Research Response website.
New this week
Plans for summer operations
Campus leaders and the COVID-19 task force are evaluating options and best practices for summer courses and other campus activities and events. Specific recommendations will depend on the local vaccine rollout schedule and any changes in community health status. More information will be forthcoming in mid-March. In the meantime, continue to follow reopening plans for research laboratories and creative spaces.
Random mitigation testing
Your commitment to following safety protocols and participating in mandatory testing helped mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on campus. UNL is now using random mitigation testing to isolate positive cases and identify asymptomatic cases.
- On Thursdays, a random selection of faculty, staff and students will receive an email notification requiring them to take a saliva-based COVID test.
- Those selected must schedule a test between Sunday and Wednesday of the following week at any campus testing location.
- Keep the Safer Community app installed on your device. In the “next steps” section of the app, users will see a message that a new test is required. Those who have enabled push notifications on their app will automatically receive this message.
- If selected for randomized testing, participation is necessary to maintain access to campus buildings.
Reminders
The reopening plan and checklist is still required for all research laboratories and creative spaces. Investigators who have already implemented their plans are encouraged to review them again to ensure they meet local and state directed health measures. Investigators can modify existing reopening plans by clicking on the link embedded within the original approval e-mail. Anyone who has not yet submitted a reopening plan should become familiar with the reopening guidelines before submitting a plan for approval.
This communication is distributed to principal investigators with approved research and creative activity re-opening plans as well as the associate deans for research. Please share this guidance with members of your research team as appropriate.
