As I said in my live greetings to all our staff on Friday 8 January, I would obviously have liked to start 2021 under better auspices and to meet you. Unfortunately, this is not possible given the ongoing health crisis, which we must do everything we can to tackle.
The Prime Minister spoke at a press conference on Thursday with five of his ministers. He announced two measures that affect our operations more directly:
A general 6pm-6am curfew throughout mainland France. The possibilities for exceptions, which are very limited, remain the same.
In order to limit cross-border flows, from today, Monday, travellers from countries outside the European Union (as well as from Mayotte and Reunion Island) must present a negative PCR test before entering France, in mainland France and the overseas territories, and undertake on their honour to respect a seven-day period. In countries where it is impossible to carry out a PCR test, a screening system will be set up on arrival, with a compulsory seven-day period in a place of accommodation approved by the public authorities.
We must remain vigilant, mobilised and united, as we have been until now. I have decided to maintain the measures in place until the end of February.
For all activities that allow it, teleworking remains the rule; meetings, including on-site meetings, should be held by audio or videoconference wherever possible. For the time being, I have decided to maintain the opening hours of the IRD sites (if necessary, staff can be given proof of business travel to enable them to return home). I'm counting on everyone to take responsibility for organising on-site activities, which absolutely cannot be done remotely.
We must not relax our efforts and our attention. Our staff may be tempted to return to the site even though their activities are fully teleworkable. Protecting everyone's health is paramount: remember, display, respect and enforce the general safety instructions (distance of at least one metre, wearing a mask, limiting social contact as much as possible, ventilation, limiting the number of people in rooms, etc.), as well as the measures specific to your site, defined by the IRD or your host (such as closing times, for example, which some of our partners are changing to include curfews).
It is absolutely crucial to respect these instructions. However, current working conditions and ongoing isolation are amplifying psycho-social risks. We need to be aware of these and prevent them. Depending on the situation, one or two days' presence on site may exceptionally be authorised for staff whose activity is teleworkable but who express a strong need to return to the office. It is important, however, not to go beyond two days, and to preserve the possibility of on-site presence under the best possible conditions for those whose work is not teleworkable.
Short-term assignments, departures on assignment, long-term assignments and mobility remain suspended (with the exception of South-South travel, which is possible as part of the procedure for travel to high-risk areas, provided that the authorities of the countries concerned authorise it). Derogations may be granted in exceptional circumstances, subject to certain conditions (cf. https://intranet.ird.fr/info-coronavirus).
These movements must remain the exception rather than the rule, and must be totally essential to the smooth running of the work and projects.
I would ask you to be particularly vigilant about the requests you receive. Once again, there is no reason why we should jeopardise the physical or moral health of an employee, a student or a partner. It is also our duty to show responsibility and solidarity, and to do our utmost to limit the circulation of the virus.
For each North-South or South-North move we make, we need to think ahead and ask ourselves:
- the conditions of arrival and reception in the destination country: tests required for entry, obligation and capacity to carry out quarantine, local health conditions, etc. - the possibilities and conditions of return (flights, tests on departure and arrival, quarantine, etc.), but also the risks, particularly financial and administrative, if return proves impossible.
Thank you for your vigilance, particularly with regard to the reception conditions for our students and doctoral students. As you know, the conditions for arriving in France are now more stringent and the conditions for returning to the country of origin can be very complex.
As I said, the IRD's response to this crisis in France and abroad has been impressive, supportive, appreciated and recognised by both our partners and our supervisory authorities. We have worked together with all our teams over the last few months to manage the crisis as well as possible. We must not let our guard down before the time is up.
We'll find the right balance, and together we can look forward with confidence to a new year full of exciting scientific prospects and important institutional events.
Thank you all very much,
Take good care of yourself and your loved ones,
Kind regards.
Valérie Verdier
Chief Executive Officer