Institute’s response to the coronavirus pandemic

Key points:

• The Institute is implementing its coronavirus response plan which is focused on protecting the wellbeing of staff while allowing the completion of essential work and planning for maintenance of essential support and services.
• All staff are working remotely where this is possible and Institute-hosted events are cancelled.
• The Institute’s Nursery will be closed from Monday 23rd March.
• The Institute is closely monitoring government advice and will respond appropriately.

19 March 2020

Given the speed at which events are progressing in the UK, the Institute has initiated the next phase of its response plan. This prioritises the completion of essential experiments and closes the Institute’s scientific services to external users.

In response to the global coronavirus pandemic, the Institute is following government guidance to minimise social contact and plan for longer terms disruptions. Everyone who can is being supported to work remotely, all events arranged by the Institute have been cancelled until the end of May, and a phased plan has been put in place to support ongoing essential work to such a point where it can be paused, as long as this doesn’t jeopardise anyone’s safety.

Due to the nature of our work, it is difficult to immediately halt ongoing experiments that may be crucial to a much wider project. We are very much keeping in mind the seriousness of the situation and monitoring this on a daily basis to ensure that we appropriately progress through our plan. We hope to minimise the risk to staff wherever possible and the principle of responsibility is at the heart of our actions and guidance to staff. It is essential to recognise that we all have responsibilities to our colleagues and our families and friends to ensure they are not unnecessarily exposed to a health risk.

Please use email as the preferred method of contact at this time.

This information will continue to be updated as the Institute follows its business continuity planning.