FIBRE and COVID 19

[Craig E.L. Stark]

For the moment at least, FIBRE is up and planning on being up and able to be used for data collection.  In particular, the Office of Research has said the following:

• Research facilities and infrastructure will remain open, available and functioning, but support for maintaining the research infrastructure may be diminished in the event of large-scale quarantine or illness.
• Core facilities and UCI research service providers (i.e., services provided on a recharge basis) may be operating at diminished levels or not at all.

This is an evolving situation, but the facility is able to be used. However, we know that undergraduates won't be around very much in the spring and off-campus participants may-well not want to come in. Likewise, research assistants, etc. may not want to come in. So, now is the time to start confirming in your lab who will be trying to continue to collect data and now is the time to contact your participants and either confirm or cancel your appointments. We will waive the normal 48-hour window for cancellation until the end of this week.

In addition, we are asking that all researchers wipe down the head coil and the squeeze bulb both before and after every scan. Of course, as always, change the linens between each subject. Any part of the table / coil that the person is coming in contact with should either have a linen protecting it or should be wiped down before and after use.

I'll keep people posted here as to where things stand. But, for now, if you want to scan, you can.

Craig

[Craig E.L. Stark]

We have new guidance from the Office of Research:

• Effective immediately implement plans to ramp down non-critical research through May 1.  This must be accomplished by close of business on Friday, March 20.  To the extent feasible, non-critical research should be shifted to remote operations (i.e., home), or postponed to a later date.  From March 21 through May 1, only critical research will be conducted at UCI.  This period may be adjusted based on circumstances as they evolve.

• Ensure that the human physical distance in our research operations exceeds the social distancing guidelines.

Now, in defining "critical", there are key points that may affect some of you.  Clinical trials, other areas with specific contracts, experiments on very fixed timing that cannot be paused, etc. may be "critical".  I encourage you to read the current policy if you wish to continue any scanning.

The vast majority of scans conducted at FIBRE will have to be paused by 5PM this Friday.  However, if you feel your project is exempt by virtue of being critical, contact me directly to explain the situation and we will work to help you through this process.  Without this approval, however, no participants can be scanned at FIBRE after the close of day on Friday.

We will maintain our monitoring of the facility to ensure that the scanner is operational and assist Siemens should any repairs be needed during the shutdown.

Craig

 

[Rongwen Tain]

Here just provide you the info for tech support if you encounter issues during scans:

1. Siemens tech and application support: 18008887436 (Our side ID 549444).

2. My cell phone number is 3129275568.

Rongwen