At some point in the future WMKO will open back up to on-site observers. This discussion could cover what conditions would enable this and what safety measures we might need to put in place. We could also discuss a time frame for reopening.
OA shifts are scheduled for Remote Ops in March and April.
Rules are starting to relax as the covid rates drop.
Jim: On-site operations has the advantage of learning how the telescope operates, plus better communication.
Randy: OAs are captive in the remote ops. We need to be respectful of their space.
Greg: Some eating and drinking needs to be allowed in the rooms.
Carlos: Before Omicron, it felt safe in the office. With Omicron it doesn’t particularly. If new case rates drop to <20/day, and overall cases < 100, that would feel safer.
Rosalie: How about requiring N95s in the room, for SAs, OAs, and observers? They would need to be provided.
Randy: That is a good idea. An additional idea is having the observers take a rapid test before working in remote ops. By the way, SAs can adjust where they support and what the rules are (how eating is handled, etc.) on their nights. OAs should have the same and higher power over the rules.
Greg: Require proof of vaccination, plus boosting if applicable, negative rapid test.
Carolyn: Move the observers to a different table/further down the bank of desks.
Sherry: The zoom/polycom is too far for observers to see if they sit further away. Move the whole station to make it easier.
Kyle: Separate zoom stations for OAs and observers?
Sherry and Carolyn: Microphone interference is a problem with that scenario.
Randy says we will have the OAs separate in different rooms until March/April/May?
Jim: I would like to see us have criteria to turn off observers coming back. Have a page that lays out the criteria so observers can see, which includes a link to statistics to see if we are above or below cutoffs on this island.
Randy: We can’t set arbitrary levels to stop/start observing. It didn’t work before as a tripwire.
Randy: Masks, rules, testing, respecting space seem like the plan.
Carlos: if we feel like observers need to test every day, it is probably not safe to have observers here.