Since the imposition of restrictions on businesses and people by Her Majesty’s Government in March 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, AIRTO (The Association of Innovation, Research & Technology Organisations) has been convening discussions with its members across the UK’s Innovation, Research & Technology sector, and other key stakeholders to:

• share best practice in the management of issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and to benchmark business activities;
• understand the issues laboratories are facing, to be able to take interventions or actions on behalf of the sector with policy makers;
• supply evidence to government departments in relation to the impact of COVID-19 in the environment of unprecedented restrictions and also the direct response to the emergency;
• consider how best to safely reinstate business activities and re-open laboratories that have been closed down, once it is safe to do so as the UK emerges gradually from its state of ‘lockdown’, adopting the ‘Stay Alert, Control the virus, Save lives‘ strategy.

The question of how best to plan for the safe resumption of business activities and laboratory operations has dominated the agenda in recent weeks. AIRTO is now issuing to Position Statement summarising the key considerations for laboratories in relation to lifting the lockdown. Read more…

AIRTO Position Statement – COVID-19 Lifting the Lockdown May 2020