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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Dear campus community,</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Now that Riverside County is in the orange coronavirus tier, the restrictions brought about by the pandemic on conducting human subject</span>s<span style="color:black"> research can be relaxed. Starting today,
campus laboratories that conduct human subjects research may resume operations as long as they abide by a
</span><a href="https://campusreturn.ucr.edu/sites/g/files/rcwecm4671/files/2021-05/Risk_Matrix_for_%20HSR-051421.pdf">matrix</a><span style="color:black"> designed to assess the risk in conducting in-person research involving human subjects and their
</span><a href="https://ehs.ucr.edu/coronavirus/worksite_specific_plan">Work Site Specific Plans</a><u><span style="color:#0563C1"> have been approved</span></u><span style="color:black">. The matrix is based on a similar matrix at UC Santa Barbara and adapted
to the types of human subject research we conduct on our campus.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">The matrix uses locations, participants, and types of activity risks to determine the overall risk of each study. The combination of all three risk levels determines whether the study could take place during the
orange tier. The matrix is shown in Table 1; details of each risk type are provided in Table 2.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Please note:</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">As usual, lab PIs must obtain approval from the <span style="color:windowtext"><a href="https://research.ucr.edu/ori/irb-sb">Institutional Review Board</a></span> (IRB) before conducting the
study. If the study has already been approved and not expired, and will be implementing no modifications, then no new approval from the IRB is needed.<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">PIs must submit <span style="color:windowtext"><a href="https://ehs.ucr.edu/coronavirus/worksite_specific_plan">Work Site Specific Plans</a></span> to Environmental Health and Safety for approval.<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">All involved in the study must wear facemasks, practice physical distancing as described in the matrix, and have access to cleaning and hand washing supplies.<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">All participants and lab staff must fill out the
<span style="color:windowtext"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__ucriverside.az1.qualtrics.com_jfe_form_SV-5F7ONCp2KgqjKapNk&d=DwMGaQ&c=LsLxleeqPm1pgCNn-PN_bQ&r=DVuYMim0MHu9at-6K7xIOpqzsFuCI_3qmhydLMERKt8&m=K9PASZNvuE85o-oURw0sh-Ey5P4vDudcXt3f-LRGkUQ&s=fAPdkQQVs4GfzBFfkxNfFHnVsJYHWZVtmXSNp9_98LQ&e=">daily
wellness survey</a></span> for each day of the study. <o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">When possible, researchers must opt for phone/video sessions in place of in-person study visits. <o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">Researchers are strongly encouraged to use study areas that accommodate physical distancing.<o:p></o:p></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Until now, COVID-19 paused non-clinical human subjects research studies that could not be conducted remotely. While I am pleased to resume these studies, I cannot stress enough that UCR remains dedicated to the
safety of all our human research participants as well as the researchers conducting the studies. The matrix has been carefully designed to minimize the risk to the individual research participants and staff; tips on using the matrix follow the tables.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">I thank the Research Ramp-up Committee for productive discussions that helped in arriving at a much-awaited decision that should greatly benefit researchers engaged in human subjects studies at UCR. I also thank
our colleagues at UC Santa Barbara for generously sharing their materials on the subject.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Sincerely, </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><br>
Rodolfo H. Torres,</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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