This week, in response to a trend of increasing COVID-19 cases and potential strains on hospital capacity in many areas of the state, Governor Newsom ordered that certain business sectors and activities must scale back their operations. Additional business sectors were ordered to cease indoor operations in more than 30 counties that are on the State's Monitoring List due to their current testing rates, disease transmission data, and hospital status. As a result of this roll-back of the State's plan for re-opening, UC ANR is modifying its Stage 2 safety guidelines for offices located in counties that are on the State's Monitoring List.
Effective Monday, July 20, 2020, UC ANR offices located in counties on the State's Monitoring List must return to Stage 1 remote work status until State and County restrictions are lifted and UC ANR advises it is appropriate to return to in-person operations. These UC ANR offices will be closed to the public; visits may be arranged by appointment only.
UC ANR employees and volunteers should work or engage remotely and/or in outdoor environments as much as possible. Research and Extension activities and programs that have been approved to resume under UC ANR Stage 2 Location Safety Plans and protocols may continue outdoors or online.
Directors and supervisors must re-evaluate which employees need to come to the office for work. At this time, employees should only come to the office for the following types of critical work activities:
- Previously approved research and extension activities (such as research, animal care, agricultural operations, critical maintenance, etc.) that were approved during Stage 1.
- Essential business functions needed to support remote work.
- Situations where an employee cannot perform his/her duties or work effectively remotely.
- Short duration visits to pick up or drop off materials needed for work.
All previously approved UC ANR Stage 2 Location Safety Plans must be updated to include this modified guidance. Stage 2 safety protocols for UC ANR offices, labs, field sites, and all program locations still apply.
UC ANR employees and volunteers (acting as agents of the University), that have been approved to resume in-person work (indoors or outdoors) must, at a minimum, continue to abide by these five basic protocols even when County requirements are less restrictive:
- Do not come to work or participate in any in-person ANR activities if sick (frequent cough, fever, difficulty breathing, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, recent loss of taste or smell, etc.) or if you or someone you have been in contact with has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
- Maintain six feet of distance between people at all times.
- Wear face coverings (cloth or paper masks, cloth bandanas, etc.) for indoor activities and when six feet of separation between people cannot be maintained.
- No group meetings/gatherings/events with more than 10 persons.
- Maintain sanitary practices – frequently clean and disinfect workspaces and equipment, wash hands often, and use hand sanitizer.
ANR locations must continue to implement additional Stage 2 mitigation measures for any in-person activities (whether in the office or at outdoor field locations). These include:
- Daily symptom surveys must continue for any employees who are working at sites other than at home.
- Offices must continue to maintain a daily log of attendance at the location.
- Employees must continue to maintain a log of their daily contacts with colleagues or clientele.
- Maintain enhanced cleaning procedures if more than one person will be present in the office.
- Maintain hand sanitizer and personal hygiene practices.
- Maintain limits on non-essential business travel.
- Maintain and update communication with employees, volunteers, and other program participants.
ANR's safety standards may continue to be modified at any time by UC ANR or other authority of the University of California as conditions change or new information is available. Questions regarding any of these protocol modifications should be directed to your location Director or Brian Oatman, UC ANR Risk & Safety Services.
Glenda Humiston
Vice President