Phase 1a
The following guidelines have been built on recommendations from the Brandeis Covid-19 Task Force and the Research, Labs, and Studios Working Group. These Guidelines are subject to periodic updates.
On May 11, Governor Charlie Baker announced the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Four-Phased Approach to reopening business activities in the state, and on May 18, he announced that laboratory research would be among the activities permitted to ramp up during Phase 1 on May 25. In this document we outline our phased approach to ramping up research and inquiry on campus that follows the Massachusetts guidance and the Brandeis University Campus Scaling Up Stages. Since March, we have been in the “Current State” or “Essential Operations,” where only minimal essential work and labs conducting research on COVID-19 are permitted. To enter Phase 1 and begin to scale up research in our laboratories, we will adopt the principles and practices of the COVID-19 MA Guidance and Directives and implement additional measures and precautions to protect the health and wellbeing of the Brandeis community and the residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
For the purposes of these Interim Guidelines, we have divided Phase 1 into two: Phase 1a, which deals with scaling-up of laboratory research, and Phase 1b, which deals with scaling up of other research activities, resources, and inquiry on campus. Research may have to be scaled back down again with little notice, so PIs should be careful about what research projects they resume in Phase 1a. More details can be found in Campus Scaling Up Guide for Faculty and Staff: Stage One and Guidelines for Scaling Up Research: Phase 1a. These documents outline our detailed guidelines for Phase 1a, and pose a series of questions and items that need further clarification at the University-level for continued guidance to be developed for all phases.