#15 ECORD’s Headline
Impact of COVID-19 disease outbreak
on IODP and ECORD activities
While writing these words, the World is facing an unprecedented health crisis related to the COVID-19 disease outbreak, leading to very difficult and stressful situations for everyone. In these difficult times, we do hope that you and your loved ones will stay safe and healthy.
Most everyday activities have stopped or slowed down drastically in most countries. Our programme is no exception and is affected by restrictions and limitations due to new governmental guidance, and institutional restrictions on international travel.
Within the programme, this crisis has already led to the postponement of MSP Expedition 386: Japan Trench Paleoseismology to a later date despite efforts made by MarE3 and ESO to hold the expedition open for as long as possible. The ECORD Facility Board, the two operators and JAMSTEC will discuss the rescheduling of this expedition.
In addition, several IODP meetings and workshops have been postponed, and major conferences (e.g., EGU) and ECORD educational activities (e.g. ECORD Training Course) cancelled.
It is still too early to evaluate the overall impact of this crisis on future activities of the programme. However, be sure that during this period many exchanges involving the different ECORD entities and our IODP partners are still going on through videoconferences and virtual meetings, phone calls and emails regarding current and future activities (e.g., panels, upcoming expeditions, the completion of the new Science Framework and preparations for the next programme).
Under these circumstances, we have decided not to proceed with the ECORD Newsletter #34 and will instead continue to post information on new developments ‘in real time’ on our website so that the ECORD community remains informed and proactive, as always.
Best wishes to All, and stay safe and healthy.
Gilbert Camoin (Director of the ECORD Managing Agency; camoin@cerege.fr)
Antony Morris (Chair of ESSAC; A.Morris@plymouth.ac.uk)
Gabi Uenzelmann-Neben (Chair of the ECORD Facility Board; Gabriele.Uenzelmann-Neben@awi.de)
Dave McInroy (Science Manager, ECORD Science Operator; dbm@bgs.ac.uk)
