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Covid-19: measures and recommendations at IN+ 07/12/2021

*** UPDATES ***

07/12/2021: 

Due to the evolution of the pandemic, Portugal entered into the state of calamity and Técnico has moved its Prevention and Contingency Matrix from the Green Phase to the Yellow Phase. However, and with exception of the week of January 2 to 9, IN+ facilities will remain open and operating during the regular schedule.
 
As a security measure and to help tracing possible risk contacts in case someone from the team gets infected, we are requesting everybody to register their presence when using IN+ Open Space, through this link: https://teamup.com/ksuyefdimokifj3beb. 
 
We remind you that during the Yellow Phase it is recommended that:
1. meetings become online;
2. spontaneous gatherings of people should be avoided; 
3. interpersonal distances should preferably be greater than 2 meters; 
4. masks (mandatory in any enclosed space on campuses) are to be worn at all times throughout the campuses;
5. any student, faculty, employee or researcher of the IST community to schedule their free test whenever any symptom or risk contact exists, by simply filling out and submitting the form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdH3yBqHySWLJyDBmsgK1rpgE_54H3zOFlb5zdpWTBgYHRQ1w/viewform
6. particular and reinforced attention should be given to hand hygiene and work spaces.

23/04/2021: 

From April 26th 2021, IN+ open space will be open every week day from 10am until 4pm. The presence of people will be managed by Sandra Machado, who will be supporting teachers and researchers.

05/06/2020: 

An updated version of the guidelines for IST reopening plan is available here (Portuguese)

14/05/2020: 

Following the lifting of the state of emergency approved by the Council of Ministers on April 30th 2020, Instituto Superior Técnico detailed a re-opening plan according to which teaching activities will continue remotely, but research is to be progressively re-established from May 18th. Accordingly, IN+ prepared a reopening plan with the main rules to be respected in our spaces, in accordance with the general plan of IST (continuously updated at https://tecnico.ulisboa.pt/coronavirus/) and taking into account the determinations of the Government and the recommendations of the health authorities.

10/05/2020: 

From the 11th May, the use of a mask is mandatory inside any of the campi of the IST. In due course, after the IST has guaranteed the necessary safety conditions, IN+ will disclose the plan for opening research activities.

16/03/2020: 

As you may be aware of, the Portuguese government declared the highest level of alert because of COVID-19 and will maintain it until 9 of April.
It is therefore important to strengthen the measures already taken by IST and the specific rules applied to IN+, which were divulgated last week and reproduced below.
We reinforce that the space of IN+ is closed and no one can stay there. Moreover, it is important that you are aware of the fact that, if an infection occurs during this period inside the space of IN+, that represents a violation of guidelines sanctioned as a civil crime.

12/03/2020: 

Due to a a reasonable and well-founded suspicion of the existence of a case of COVID-19 among the IST community, that arrived this morning, the Management Board of IST took the decision to move temporarily to phase 3 of the IST contingency plan.

  • In this way, all the activities on the Alameda and Tagusparque campus are suspended until this Sunday, March 15th, for reasons of prevention, protection and care for the entire IST community;
  • This suspension measure applies to the Alameda and Taguspark campi only and, by default, in each one of these campi, to all the activities of their services, departments and research centers;
  • Therefore, it is recommended that the entire IST community return home, maintaining the social distance measures recommended by the Health Care authorities;
  • All teachers, researchers, scholarship holders, technicians and administrative personal of the IST community of this campuses should remain in touch, by phone and/or email;
  • This decision takes immediate effect, and will be subject to a reassessment that will be communicated by the same way until 9:00 pm of Sunday, March 15th.

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After several preventive measures taken by IST to contain the virus propagation, we have decided a number of measures/recommendations specific to IN+, as follows:

1. Social Contacts: one of the most important actions is to limit "social contacts" to the extent possible and in reasonable conditions. We therefore recommend that:

  • Students and researchers who do not have strict commitments at IN+ are encouraged to work from home and use video-conference, whenever possible. This recommendation is particularly strong due to the proximity between researchers in the open space and the lack of natural ventilation.
  • Avoid physical meetings, particularly with many participants.
  • Our administrative staff will work from home, most of the time, and reduce to a minimum their stay at IN+. During that time, and following the measures taken by IST, they will work "closed doors" and direct contact should only be done in exceptional cases.  

2. Traveling: IST has cancelled all missions and international travel to mitigate the contamination risks. 

3. These measures will last while IST maintains the containment measures.

4 - Additional information:

Although these measures will cause several inconveniences, they are for a greater good and for our own protection. 

It is our individual responsibility to contribute to the limitation of the spread of the COVID-19 and to maintain our own health and well-being of our colleagues, friends and relatives.