COVID-19: Information and Resources for Researchers

The restart of research activities at The Neuro follows the McGill University on-campus research phase-in directives and the guidelines on preventing spread of COVID-19.

Health and safety are our top priority

All Neuro staff and trainees need to have the same information and share the same recommendations.

Neuro Principal Investigators are expected to be familiar with, and abide by all university directives and guidelines to plan a safe and gradual return to work.

Below are descriptions of procedures, links to information documents for researchers, followed by an archive of memos with additional information.

Supervisor Guidelines and Responsibilities During COVID

Step by step directives and responsibilities

Reminder, all Principal Investigators and their research personnel must follow approved directives in case someone develops symptoms and/or comes in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Failure to comply with these directives will result in the indefinite closure of the non-compliant laboratories, as well as adjacent laboratories in open-concept configurations.

Step by Step Directives and Responsibilities

1. McGill Daily Health Self-Assessment

As per McGill directives, prior to entering The Neuro, employees (including student employees) must complete, the COVID-19 Daily health check [‘Self-assessment’] by logging into Minerva on a daily basis.

Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that their students and staff comply with this directive.

IMPORTANT

Supervisors cannot allow their employees and/or students into The Neuro if:

They have not completed the form
They have answered "yes" to any of the statements below: (updated October 1, 2020)

Fever, sudden loss of sense of smell or taste, a cough that is new or that has gotten worse, difficulty breathing or breathlessness
Do you have at least one symptom in two of the following three categories? (For example, if you have intense fatigue and vomiting, answer yes, because these symptoms are in two separate categories. However, if you have vomiting and diarrhea, answer no, because both of these symptoms belong to the same category of gastrointestinal symptoms.)
- Category 1. Ear-Nose-Throat symptoms: sore throat
- Category 2. General symptoms: intense fatigue, substantial loss of appetite, generalized muscle pain not linked to physical exertion
- Category 3. Gastrointestinal symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain
Have you been out of the country in the last 2 weeks? Travellers who have come to Canada are required to self-isolate for 14 days.
Have you been in contact with someone who has COVID-19? (Healthcare workers who have been in contact with a COVID positive patient while wearing appropriate PPE can come to campus.)

Should any employee or graduate student answer “yes” to any of these questions, supervisors must:

inform them to stay home
forward the email (generated from the self-assessment form) to diana.montenegro [at] mcgill.ca (Diana Montenegro)
telephone McGill security at 514-398-3000 immediately to initiate the follow-up process.

2. McGill Guide for Supervisors to deal with individuals with COVID symptoms or with confirmed COVID diagnosis on campus

Supervisors of students/staff who have:

COVID-19 symptoms
come in contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19, or
a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis on campus
were at The Neuro or on campus in the 48 hours before symptoms or a positive test (updated October 29, 2020)

must follow all directives for supervisors distributed by McGill (Guide for Supervisors to deal with individuals with COVID symptoms or with confirmed COVID diagnosis on campus).

3. Neuro Daily Access Log

Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that their students/staff report their visits to The Neuro by logging-in their presence using the Neuro Access Log available online at http://at.theneuro.ca/access-log.

The collected information is essential to conduct contact-tracing in case someone develops symptoms, comes in contact with someone who has COVID-19, or tests positive for COVID-19.

ACCESSING THE NEURO

McGill Daily Health Self-Assessment

As per McGill directives, prior to entering The Neuro, McGill employees (including student employees) must complete, the COVID-19 Daily health check [‘Self-assessment’] by logging into Minerva on a daily basis. Should your answer be "yes" to any of the questions, you must stay home.

An email will be generated and sent immediately to your supervisor informing them of the answers provided.

Your supervisors must:

1. inform you to stay home

2. forward the email (generated from the self-assessment form) to diana.montenegro [at] mcgill.ca (Diana Montenegro)

3. telephone McGill security at 514-398-3000 immediately to initiate the follow-up process.

Reporting process for COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test (New October 29, 2020)

You now also need to report IF:

you were at The Neuro or on campus in the 48 hours before your symptoms appeared (or in the 48 hours before the date you got tested, if you are asymptomatic and received a positive test result) OR
you need accommodations because you are unable to work or study

McGill is asking people who were on campus to report as soon as possible in order to begin cleaning and disinfection procedures.

Montreal Public Health has also asked the University to carry out contact tracing for any medium- or high-risk contacts that happened at McGill including The Neuro.

How to Report:

If you were at The Neuro or on campus in the 48 hours before symptoms or a positive test, Neuro (McGill) employees or graduate students must

now call 514-398-3000 (McGill Security)
- McGill has created an interactive questionnaire that will guide you through the steps you need to take.
inform their supervisor

the supervisor will then inform Diana.Montenegro [at] mcgill.ca (subject: COVID%20Reporting) (Diana Montenegro).

Access for External Vendor

To request access to The Neuro for an External Vendor, please fill out: External Vendor Access Request Form

Parking

Parking (procedure for McGill staff)

Building Access

Weekdays 7 am to 7 pm
Researchers enter the Neuro complex by 3 secured entrances. All persons entering must show their McGill (or MUHC) ID and pass through the triage screening process.

Research staff working in the BTRC/Molson Pavilion: BTRC entrance only.
Research staff working in the North Wing and Webster B1: North Wing L3 entrance only.
Research staff working in the main Neuro building (floors 2, 6, 7, 8): 3801 University entrance only.

After hours and weekend

All Researchers must enter and exit via 3801 University Street only.
If door at 3801 University is locked, ring security to request access.
BTRC and L3 entrances will be locked and used for emergency exit only.

Movement within the complex is restricted.

Please follow all signage within buildings and elevators.
No access to hospital areas.
No external visitors, except authorized vendors, allowed at any time into research areas.

Do not come to The Neuro if you experience any symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone diagnosed with COVID-19.

All students and staff who receive a positive test result for COVID-19 must follow guidelines for reporting illness and must fill out the self declaration form.

New: June 5, 2020

If you are not part of the approved research ramp-up activities, and would like to access your office or lab to retrieve items, you must

1. Contact your supervisor

2. facilities.neuro [at] mcgill.ca (Email Neuro Facilities)

3. Fill out the Daily Log

4. Reminder Procedure for Removal Of Neuro (McGill) Tagged Equipment

Entrance Screening and Triage

STEP 1

Present your McGill ID card

If you have No ID, Access is Denied. Staff or student to contact supervisor. facilities.neuro [at] mcgill.ca (Supervisor should email Neuro Facilities), provide name and ID number of person requesting access, as well as lab room number.
Yes you have an ID, go to STEP 2.

STEP 2

In the last 7 days, have you had a new onset of one or more of the following symptoms?

Fever
Cough
Sore throat
Diarrhea
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Nasal congestion & runny nose
Yes: Access is Denied, security guard gives a mask and handout to McGill Staff and/or Student
No: go to STEP 3

STEP 3

In the last 14 days, did you have contact with someone in your household who tested positive for COVID-19?

No: Access permitted, security guard gives a mask
Yes: Access is Denied, security guard gives a mask and handout to McGill Staff and/or Student

New: June 5, 2020

Important
If at any point in the past few months you have received a positive test result for COVID-19, you must contact your supervisor and communications.neuro [at] mcgill.ca (Neuro Communications) for further instructions before returning to The Neuro.

New: June 27, 2020

McGill Guide for Supervisors to deal with individuals with COVID symptoms or with confirmed COVID diagnosis on campus

INSIDE THE NEURO

Mandatory Neuro Access Log

Neuro (McGill) staff, researchers and students who enter The Neuro to perform essential services must log their activities and provide other important information (time of entry, rooms visited, names of others in the room, time of exit) using this online form:

https://at.theneuro.ca/access-log

This step is mandatory and failure to comply will result in access privileges being removed. Please make sure your authorized lab members are aware.

Prevention - Protecting The Neuro

All staff are to wear a mask when around others and when moving through common spaces. The mask should cover your nose and mouth at all times.

Wash your hands frequently and practice good cough etiquette.
Maintain a physical distance of 2 metres at all times when other physical barriers are not present.
Maintain a density of 1 person per 16m2 (2 metres around a person) or lower for enclosed workspaces (such as labs) where multiple individuals need to work for extended hours.
Ensure frequent cleaning especially of high-touch surfaces and objects.
Water fountains are operational. There will be hand sanitizer dispensers next to fountains. Sanitize before and after use. It is strongly encouraged to bring a water bottle and fill at fountain. Do not drink from fountain. Ten new sensor fill stations are on order.
NO access to the hospital floors. Researchers are encouraged to use floor B1 for essential movements within the complex. Please avoid use of floors 1 and 2 of main complex.
Failure to comply with these guidelines could result in reduced access, exclusion from the building, and/or disciplinary measures.

Use of Common Areas and Meeting Rooms, Access to Café Vienne

Lunch/ break rooms can be used, but physical distancing guidelines (2 metres) must be followed, and surfaces must be wiped down after use.

Respect maximum occupancy sign outside each common room.
The following conference rooms are approved to be used as lunch rooms only for research staff and students:
- Chippindale Room (BT102)
- Banque Nationale Conference Room (BT100)
- Bell Room (BT303)
- NW L3 Conference Room (NW335)
Lunch rooms are also open at NW122 & 665B
Eating outside is encouraged
- BTRC, NW L3 and NW L2 Terraces are open
The following Conference rooms remain closed for researchers:
- Jeanne Timmins Amphitheatre (now a Designated Hospital Lunch Room)
- NW201
- Conference Room 636
- de Grandpré Communications Centre
- Rooms 124, 174A, 188
- Library conference room
Reminders:
- Lab meetings, journal clubs, seminars will continue to be held remotely
Café Vienne Take out only (updated August 28)
- Café Vienne is no longer taking orders by phone. Researchers and lab staff may go to Café Vienne for take-out only.
- To access Café Vienne you must wear a mask and take the Rockefeller elevator or stairs.
- Please note no eating shall take place in the hallways, please consider options noted above.

Elevators

Elevators - Restricted Access and Reprogramming

Research

Neuro Research Ramp-up Process and Application form

Neuro Procedure: Updated Directives Research Ramp-up Phase 3

Research Ramp-up Reminders and Updates

Main navigation