[Exports_project_office] Comments on anonymous form - please read

[Ken Buesseler]

Since I will miss Thu meeting (if this comes up) here are some comments.

I'm not surprised with the range of responses and #1-3 below are more on 
"what if".  Certainly we have not talked about medical care in UK if 
someone is symptomatic.

#4 had several comments, the 10 vs 14 day one can be addressed by making 
executive decisions to use the longer period, even if shorter is allowed 
(in UK or by CDC).

The very last one sounds like a concern that is deep enough, that if we 
are sending responses, we should tell them to alert their group leader 
and express their concern and ask not to participate, with the group 
leader hopefully finding an alternate (or not). I've had one such 
response from the 19 Sarmiento participants, and in that case we are 
finding an alternate, or will sail with one less.

This is perhaps more readily discussed over Zoom, but at least in my 
experience, comfort levels change at least weekly, and we don't need to 
change overall plans at this point, but try harder to reach out with 
more info (#1-3) and encourage folks to just say no (easier said than 
done for some individuals I realize).

Ken

On 2/24/2021 8:00 AM, Ivona Cetinic via Exports_project_office wrote:
> Hello,
>
> updates on the comments. I answered some easy ones in the general 
> email to the _all list. Hower many remain. I got total of 13 comments 
> so far:
>
> 1) several of the comments express their positive view of everything 
> that we are doing and looking forward to the cruise (3)
>
> 2) A couple of questions have more to do with the quarantine itself 
> such as:/"//Hello, I was wondering if a relative can come quarantine 
> with me in the hotel. Also, which rooms are we expecting if we are 
> students (I saw different dimensions in the hotel's web)? " /
> I will deal with those questions via email/ and 5 minutes at the 
> beginning of the Process cruise meeting on thursday.
>
> 3) Several of the comments express their concern of the potential 
> false positives, and ask clarifications on how it will be dealt with - 
> also they inquire clarification on what will happen if one gets sick:
> e.g. /" What happens if someone test positive right before the mob? 
> Will that person get looked after financially and logistically?"/
> e.g./" //It remains unclear to me what the procedure will be for 
> someone who tests positive and becomes symptomatic. Will they be 
> provided an oximeter, thermometer, palliative medications? Or will 
> they need to secure those themselves? The names of medications are 
> completely different in the UK and we might need some 
> translation/guidance on sources. Will someone check on them on a 
> regular basis to make sure they're ok or does that need to be arranged 
> within lab groups? What are the details of the health coverage and/or 
> potential costs to the participant? Are there local contact people 
> that folks can reach out to for help/questions? /
> /Sorry for so many questions, but this is something I'm really 
> concerned about. It seems if we are going to move forward with this, 
> it's a real risk. Thank you!"/
> I would appreciate some time to discuss these on PO meeting. //
> //
> 4) And then there are worrisome ones:
> /"After my concerns for the health of all participants and about the 
> general trajectory of the pandemic, my biggest worry is that a 
> participant who is not as invested in the success of the field 
> campaign (or who is simply more invested in other projects/aspects of 
> their life -- which should also be OK) will take a risk that 
> jeopardizes the whole thing. I think NASA should commit resources to 
> help mitigate this type of risk, as much as possible."/
> //
> /"Dave mentioned that we might shorten our quarantine to 10 days and 
> we would be able to do this because we would be designated as "sea 
> farers." I know it is incredibly expensive to keep that many people in 
> a hotel for that long and every day probably helps with finances. But 
> from a COVID safety standpoint, why would we try to "get around" the 
> current law in the UK (requiring a 14 day quarantine from anyone 
> entering the country) and/or flaunt the CDC and probably all of our 
> institutions' best practices? If there is even the slightest chance of 
> someone developing COVID in those last 4 days, despite testing, why 
> wouldn't we just do a 14 day quarantine and follow the rules? "/
> //
> and the most depressing one:
> /"There are way too many uncertainties out of our hands. (1) The 
> experiment starts and ends in UK, the epicenter of new COVID variants; 
> (2) Most of people will travel between two biggest airports in the 
> world, New York and London, with arguably greatest exposure to the 
> viruses; (3) Travel bans imposed by the governments, including the US 
> government and the other countries that flights may transit; (4) It is 
> almost impossible to have emergency personnel backup in case COVID-19 
> positive happens; (5) visa issues for non-US citizens. The science is 
> great, and in a sense very enticing. While we can always say it is a 
> personal decision, there are unintended pressures forcing people to 
> choose between science and personal safety/health. This is unfair and 
> to a certain extent cruel./  "
>
> Thank you for taking time to readthese. #3 and #4 are most concerning. 
> I would love a discussion (specifically on #3) how to move forward.
>
> Ivona
>
>
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-- 
Ken Buesseler
Senior Scientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
http://cafethorium.whoi.edu     @Cafe_Thorium
Director, Center for Marine and Environmental Radioactivity
http://www.whoi.edu/CMER        @whoi_cmer
508-289-2309

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