Resources during COVID-19

The YSM Phase I Safety Committee exists to ensure the safety of all researchers under Phase One reopening. It is a way to communicate best practices and help streamline the spread of information. It is not an investigatory body. Members of this committee include faculty and trainees in YSM as well as representatives from EHS.

Here is a document created by postdoc members of the Safety Committee to document and share what we learn during committee meetings with the postdoc community. We hope that the information listed here can be a resource to answer common questions and find relevant information. Please note that this document does not serve as official Yale policy but rather a reflection of information learned by postdoc representatives in meetings of the YSM Phase I Safety Committee. We share these notes as a measure of transparency and link to relevant policies and resources where possible.

This document will be updated following each meeting. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this document or your safety, you can reach out to the postdocs representing you on this committee, Mancy Tong (mancy.tong@yale.edu), Nick Ader (nicholas.ader@yale.edu), and Erin Borchardt (erin.borchardt@yale.edu) or via this anonymous survey.

Questions and concerns addressed by the committee will be updated in this document.

COVID-19 safety concerns?

If you are concerned that safety measures are not being followed: 1) If you feel comfortable doing so, contact the Department’s COVID-19 Safety Officer.  You may also speak with your PI, a supervisor, Department Chair, Faculty Director, Dean’s Designee, or the Office for Postdoctoral Affairs director.  2) You may make anonymous or identified reports via the University Hotline.

If you are concerned that state-mandated safety requirements are not being followed, you may call the state hotline at 211. More information about safety for postdocs is here. You are represented by postdocs on Yale campus reopening committees. To submit an anonymous concern related to safety, human subjects research, fieldwork, or the overall trainee experience, use this form. The form is monitored by postdocs. Answers are posted here.

Community support

  • YPA Buddy Program: for Postdocs to be buddied up with each other. You can register here.
  • YPA Slack community, by following this link.
  • YPA Ride-Share to carpool to supermarkets. You can RSVP here.

Volunteer

  • Yale has asked every lab to donate any PPE to support Yale New Haven Hospital to deal with COVID-19. You can donate items through this link.
  • Scientists are setting up databases of US scientists that want to volunteer to help out during this pandemic. You can do so through this link.
  • A list of resources that New Haven residents can both utilize and donate to during and beyond this COVID-19 situation. Click here.
  • If you want to help out: check out CT Mutual Aid and the New Haven Virtual Food drive

External links

  • Yale Office of Postdoctoral affairs created a dedicated page for COVID-19 updates.
  • Office of the Provost’s Research Reactivation Information and Guidance for Trainees. 
  • A variety of organizations have produced resources to help parents support their children during this outbreak. You can find them here
  • The Yale Trainee Policy document and guidelines for reopening the labs. 

International Postdocs

  • OISS created a page and FAQ for J-1 and H-1B visa holders to answer any questions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Things to do while at home

  • Together with the UW Madison Postdoctoral Association, the YPA has collected a list of resources that Postdoc can use to work at home. These include educational links, entertainment links and fitness and health resources.