Update: NRAO COVID-19 - New Mexico
In response to concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, the NM Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has ordered the closing of all NM Public Schools for three weeks, beginning this coming Monday, 16 March. As discussed in recent weeks, the closing of schools automatically triggers a closure of the affected NRAO sites. Note, at this time we have no reported cases of COVID-19 infection associated with NRAO NM employees or recent visitors.
On the morning of Friday, 13 March we will finalize planning and communications for a shutdown of most NRAO NM activities for three weeks, beginning Monday. Detailed information will be available and distributed to all employees by 3pm EDT/1pm MDT 13 March. In all cases – people will continue to be paid at regular levels, medical insurance will continue, and communications through the Observatory will remain online during this three-week period. In some cases – staff may be called upon to support continued communications and security roles that are critical to our facilities in NM. These employees will be identified and contacted in the afternoon of 13 March.
NM employees – if you are aware of critical issues/activities which may not be currently known to the management team, please bring these matters to the attention of your supervisor early 13 March so that they may forward the information to senior NM management.
We are entering a difficult time for the Observatory and the nation, but we have coped with similar disruptions in recent years and I am confident that as a team, we can support these public health initiatives and will restart our activities soon. Operations at other AUI radio astronomy facilities and sites continue as normal at this time.
