Dear IU School of Optometry Faculty, Students and Staff,
As the pandemic evolves, IU is beginning to roll out Restart Activities. I want to give you an update on activities at the school.
Clinics
On May 18, both the Atwater Eye Care Center and the Indianapolis Eye Care Center began seeing patients for routine care. Currently, only 4th-year students are in clinic. Many changes to clinic protocols have been put in place to limit viral spread.
Preclinical activities
In preparation for summer clinic, over the next 4 to 5 weeks, rising 3rd-year students are doing preclinical activities in small groups within the school. This occurs in Room 101 and is supervised by Drs. Khashayar Tonekaboni and Kim Kohne. They are following the same protective protocols that are being used in the clinics.
In July, V551 and V552 preclinical labs will begin in Rooms 101 and 106.
Research
Some essential research has been ongoing in the school building. Starting June 1, the remainder of research activities can start up. Please follow IU Vice President for Research Fred Cate’s directive to begin restarting lab activities within the school. Dr. Pete Kollbaum will be sending a PDF that includes IUSO specific information.
Should I be in the Optometry Building?
In summary, in this phase, the only people in the building should be:
- Faculty supervising preclinical labs
- Students assigned to preclinical labs
- Principal investigators or their designated research staff and graduate students
- Staff given specific duties in the building assigned by their supervisor
Working from home is still encouraged, if possible.
If you are not in these groups and you need to go to the building, please let Kevin Collins (collinkf@indiana.edu) know the day and time, so that disinfection cleaning can be performed afterwards.
How to enter and exit the Optometry Building
Given the prospect of increased traffic within the building, we have put in place a uniform guide for entrance and exit to the building:
Everyone moving about the building MUST wear a mask. Exceptions include being alone in your office or lab.
Entry to the building is ONLY through the East and West End Doors. These stairwells are ONLY for going up. The elevator will be available at the end of June. This will likely be limited to one passenger or co-habitating individuals.
Exit from the building is only from the North and South Lobby Doors. The Central Stairway is ONLY for going down.
Faculty and staff should come into the building on the side that their office or lab is located.
Students can come in either East or West End Doors. This reduces the possibility of crowding at one entry for preclinic labs.
Research subjects come up the stairwell end where the lab is located. Research groups must take responsibility for guiding them up, triage for symptoms, and masking. [When arranging the visit, subjects should be given the standard COVID questions: Have a new cough, fever, shortness of breath, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, or muscle aches, shaking with chills, headache, or new loss of taste or smell?, and asked if they have a mask. If not, tell them we can provide one, but they must wear it, no exceptions. PIs can request surgical masks from Kristy’s supply (Dunlap, Kristy M at kmdunlap@indiana.edu) based on the anticipated need. Details will be included in Dr. Kollbaum’s instructions to IUSO researchers.]
A receptionist will be placed at both East and West End entrances 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. All entrants will log in. These logs will be kept for at least two weeks to aid in contact tracing.
Deliveries and visitors will be directed to the East End Doors only and they must exit the North or South End Doors.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Joesph A. Bonanno, OD, PhD
Dean and Professor, IU School of Optometry
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