Research institutions around the world are coordinating on initiatives to assist medical teams in responding to the COVID-19. As this situation evolves, scientists and technicians are offering to put their skills, equipment, and expertise to use to contribute to local and global response efforts.
With personal protective equipment for frontline workers being an immediate concern, SNOLAB has taken an inventory of cleanroom personal protective equipment onsite and brought much of it up from underground earlier this week. The science team has been in contact with Health Sciences North (HSN) to determine where we can help meet the needs of local healthcare workers.
SNOLAB is coordinating with other research and development initiatives and is working to identify other capabilities or personnel that could be useful to medical teams at some point. These capabilities include chemical and assay expertise, computing and data analysis support, machining, 3-D printing and machining skills. If opportunities come up, SNOLAB will support staff who can assist with these initiatives.
Like other facilities, SNOLAB is engaged in provincial and federal initiatives to collate information about the capabilities our research institute has that may become useful going forward. Understanding where we can contribute and taking skills and material inventories will give us the ability to respond quickly when requests come in.
SNOLAB is proud to be able to support our healthcare workers on the frontlines caring for our community. “Canada has been extremely supportive to SNOLAB over the years, and it is great we are able to contribute back in these positive ways,” says Nigel Smith, Executive Director of SNOLAB. At times like this, community matters more than ever. Stay home, keep the community safe, and look out for one another.