In an abundance of caution, UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute staff have been advised to telecommute this week, and to avoid the university’s Westside Research Park facility at 2300 Delaware Ave.
This recommendation was made for the following reason: Two Genomics Institute affiliates visited the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s Bay Area facility last week. It was learned after their visit that a family member of a contract worker who also was working at the CZI facility Monday through Thursday of last week has tested positive for COVID–19. The contract worker is currently being tested for the virus and is in quarantine until results are received. Test results are expected at the end of this week.
CZI officials, out of extreme caution, have instructed their employees to work from home this week, and they are having their facility disinfected even though test results have yet to be returned.
It is unknown if the UCSC affiliates had contact with the contract scientist, as the contractor has not been identified.
The recommendation that Genomics Institute employees telecommute was made by the campus Office of Emergency Services, Student Health Services, and the campus Environmental Health and Safety office, with guidance from Santa Cruz County Health Services.
There is currently no recommendation to extend this precaution to additional occupants of the Delaware Avenue facility who were not present at the CZI facility last week.
We will update this situation as soon as more information is available.
For more information about the coronavirus in general, how campus officials are monitoring the situation, tips for prevention and protection, and other public resources, visit campus’ new COVID-19 webpage.
