Research Announcements

1/11/22 Research Update: UNMC COVID-19 Guidelines

With increasing cases of COVID and COVID breakthrough, we want to clarify/reinforce the new UNMC/Nebraska medicine policies as they are relevant to research spaces. We will make one change in our current policy regarding volunteers in research labs.

For all research programs:

  • Masks should be worn everywhere indoors, unless by yourself behind a closed door.
  • Cloth masks should not be used anywhere, as per recent Nebraska Medicine and UNMC guidance, unless on top of a surgical/procedural mask
  • Conduct any and all research activities remotely, if they can be done remotely, including one on one meetings and seminars
  • Visitors should be limited, masked, and escorted with rigorous questions about recent exposures beforehand
  • Take turns eating in designated spaces, by yourself or behind a closed door, or socially distanced if in a larger space
  • Minimize time unmasked while eating, whether eating alone or in a room where others are sitting

For all lab building and lab-based programs:

  • Return to scheduling time on shared equipment and other measures to enhance social distancing in the lab
  • Starting Monday Jan 17, research volunteers will no longer be allowed to work in laboratories (such as high school, undergraduate, visiting students) except the following:
    • International Scholars who have been already approved through the Office of Global Engagement
    • UNMC health professions students or students enrolled in a University of Nebraska course, 
    • High school alliance students in their currently assigned laboratories. 
    • All volunteers must be vaccinated, no exceptions or exemptions, and show evidence of vaccination, per our policy. They should be strongly encouraged to obtain a booster, as soon as they are eligible.

For all face to face clinical research programs:

  • Study monitors can come to campus if they are required to, if masked and escorted, and vetted for recent exposures
  • Continue to ask research subjects before face to face contact as to recent exposures or symptoms,
  • Continue to follow your approved biosafety protocol, and all policies of the institution where the research is to be conducted regarding masking, which may now require providing surgical/procedural masks for subjects or accompanying persons.

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