BVS staff team experiences of lockdown

Mostly this has been a challenging but positive experience. Although at times a bit of a slog, the techs, cage washers and managers have all pitched in and we helped each other without complaint. The availability of staff from other facilities and research groups has been invaluable and all of them have also been willing to pass on knowledge. The steady stream of mail has kept us informed and the various modes of contact (email, WhatsApp, direct mobile numbers and online meetings) mean we feel in the loop and able to ask for advice or share our wisdom at any time. Perks such as lunches, free parking and travel payments are greatly appreciated; aside from the obvious benefits, we realise that people are thinking about our efforts and the risks we take.

Roy

Working through COVID-19 has definitely had its worries. Thankfully at my place of work, the team I work with have all pulled together and tackled the stresses, strains and worries head on. Although work had quietened down, there was still animal care and facility cleanliness to deal with. We were also working on short 4 hour shifts, fewer staff members due to shielding and merging 2 facilities. It has been strange with fewer procedures, not seeing the researchers and work load to a minimum but we got there. My co-workers pulled together and were there for each other which made the working environment less stressful.  Steps were also taken to ensure the chances of transmission were minimum and the staff felt safe.

Kyle

The staff at BVS are dedicated to both the animals we care for, and the research we serve, which was evident from the mammoth effort undertaken by all staff during the lockdown period. Our work involves biomedical research using animals and so in order to continue vital studies and to ensure the care of our animals, we were classed as essential workers during this period. In a short space of time our staff numbers were cut drastically due to those requiring to shield, and researchers were no longer allowed into our facilities. Because of this, a huge staff effort was necessary to work as a team to ensure all essential work was being completed. It required staff to be extremely flexible, working around childcare difficulties, moving departments and changing shifts at the last minute to cover shortages from people quarantining. To help staff feel safe, there were many measures put in place including enforced social distancing, and splitting shifts into mornings and evenings. The University even provided some expenses for travel to work, as well as daily packed lunches so that we didn’t need to take unnecessary trips to shops. As we come out of this difficult period and our colleagues return, the pressure is finally lifting and we no longer have to function in fight or flight mode! The University continues to provide ways to keep staff safe including: one-way systems in buildings; sanitising stations; reduced capacity for research staff in facilities; encouraging staff to stay home and get tested if symptoms arise. We hope that this will be enough to help the national effort of tackling the virus, while also continuing our essential research.

Jess