In line with the Newfoundland and Labrador public health recommendation that working from home is recommended, where possible, we continue to request that all researchers (faculty, staff, students and visitors) who are able to carry out their research work from home to do so. This will help to reduce interactions between people on our campuses and ensure that those who need to use on-campus research spaces and other shared spaces can do so without concern for their safety as a result of working on campus.

Effective Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, the following measures are in effect:

• In addition to critical COVID-19 research and essential clinical trials that cannot be delayed, low-risk research involving face-to-face interactions with research participants may also be carried out subject to normal ethics approvals. Low-risk research requires that the researchers and the research participants maintain, at all times, a minimum of two-metres physical distancing and wear three-ply masks. Where the research cannot meet this requirement, researchers must co-ordinate with Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) at health.safety@mun.ca to determine whether their research activities can resume at this time and to determine what addition control measures would be required if it is possible for the research to resume.
• Domestic travel for purposes of research can resume at this time subject to normal travel request approvals. International travel remains subject to Memorial’s COVID-19 travel advisory (see https://www.mun.ca/covid19/travel/). In the case of travel into Indigenous communities, researchers must continue to respect and adhere to travel protocols set out by Indigenous governments, regions, and communities. Researchers have a responsibility to find out what the travel restrictions and protocols are, and to contact the relevant individual(s) or group(s) for further information and, if applicable, permissions. Researchers are asked to keep in mind that these restrictions and protocols may change over time and that due diligence is important. Contact information for Indigenous governments and groups in Newfoundland and Labrador can be found at https://www.mun.ca/research/Indigenous/researchcontacts.php.
• Other on-campus research that does not involve face-to-face interactions with research participants may continue subject to researchers abiding by Memorial’s current COVID-19 control measures (e.g. three-ply masks, handwashing, physical distancing). Where research spaces are to be used for periods longer than three (3) hours, an occupancy density of 114 sq. ft. per person must be used. For shorter periods, an occupancy density of 52 sq. ft. per person may be used if it is not possible to maintain an occupancy density of 114 sq. ft. per person.

For researchers on the St. John’s Campus, three-ply disposable and N95 masks will be stocked in department offices in faculties and schools and throughout campus for those who may forget or misplace their mask. Units are encouraged to stock disposable masks if a member of the community requires one and these can be requested through the Strategic Procurement Office at opencalls@mun.ca.

Researchers at Grenfell Campus and the Marine Institute Campus should contact their research offices for additional information regarding research activities based from those campuses. For questions related to research pertaining to Labrador and the Labrador Campus, Dr. Ashlee Cunsolo, interim dean, School of Arctic and Subarctic Studies, (ashlee.cunsolo@mun.ca) can provide guidance.

Researchers should monitor Memorial’s COVID-19 webpage for updates and check for relevant COVID-19 information, notices and updates on unit specific webpages.