NRAO/GBO update - Thursday June 11th
We have returned to normal operating status this week. The North American NRAO/GBO instruments are all operational. IT systems are nominal. In Chile, the Office of Chilean affairs and our NRAO ISMs in the JAO remain in IDOS for now, with Chile passing through some hard times due to COVID-19. The Joint ALMA Observatory has begun publishing plans to bring ALMA online in coming months.
There are no active reports of NRAO or GBO staff receiving medical care for COVID-19, although it is critical you continue to implement safe practices, particularly in public. Please contact Jody Bolyard jbolyard@nrao.edu) or me if you need more information regarding the disease. In general, the infection rates in the places our US NRAO/GBO facilities are located are quite low, although states like Virginia and New Mexico are continuing to see new cases. We need to avoid a second wave of infections.
This past Monday we returned to our normal operating status, and more of our staff needing facility access were granted permission to come back into the buildings. This return has gone well at all sites. New processes and procedures have been used, and any problems noted. On top of the new processes, many staff are returning to more physically active work after several weeks, so please look after yourselves and be cautious. Over the next few weeks the number of facility access people entering the buildings will continue to increase. People with concerns about the return to full operations – please talk to your supervisor. Let me offer a huge thanks to our facility safety support teams who have been monitoring temperatures and helping people during the return.
Yesterday, we took time to consider an important issue we’re all involved in – racial equality, justice and black lives, in this country. I received many thoughtful emails and contacts from people from all parts of the Observatory – thank you. We are continuing a series of observatory-wide talks on related topics this week and next, and I hope you can attend and participate. Momentum continues to build nationally, and real change is ahead.
Any staff member with questions, concerns or comments please contact your supervisor, Department Head, Site Director, or me. The website containing all our COVID support information is: https://info.nrao.edu/covid-19
My next update will be June 22nd, reviewing RFTO progress from our first pay period back in regular status. Stay safe.
Tony Beasley
