Research in the Time of Coronavirus: Continuing Ongoing Studies in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Excerpt

A novel human coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was identified in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, resulting in a pandemic [1]. Due to the need for physical distancing and isolation, universities closed and most medical clinics were ordered to continue with “essential” in-person visits only. In addition to a wave of medical appointment cancellations, many medical research activities, such as participant recruitment, study visits, and outcomes assessments were halted. In light of rapid societal change in response to the pandemic, this paper summarizes our considerations for conducting remote research. The discussion provided here is not exhaustive, but rather a starting place for a fundamental shift in how research is conducted. …