To Our Participants Regarding COVID-19

 

 

Because of the rapid developments related to COVID-19 in the past two weeks, we now provide you with an updated letter of information regarding MAP/ADRC activities:

 

March 31st, 2020

 

To all participants and their family members who are enrolled in the Memory and Aging Project (MAP) of the Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center (ADRC) at Washington University in St. Louis:

 

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused unprecedented changes in daily life, both at work and at home.  It is unknown at present as to when we might expect our lives to return toward normal.  The Chancellor of Washington University, Andrew Martin, has decided that only faculty and employees who are critical for the delivery of medical care or are otherwise considered essential for the function of the University may report to work.  Everyone else must cease coming to work.  The purpose of the Chancellor’s decision is to protect everyone’s health by sharply limiting interactions with other people, thus hopefully slowing the spread of the virus.  As Director of MAP/ADRC, I fully endorse the Chancellor’s decision to help keep our participants and staff as safe as possible.  Therefore, as of Tuesday, March 17, 2020, at 4:30pm, the following MAP/ADRC policies are in effect through May 31, 2020:

 

 

All MAP/ADRC participant in-person activities are now suspended. MAP/ADRC staff have contacted participants who have been scheduled for assessments and procedures to inform them NOT to come to our office or other facilities.

We also are suspending the scheduling of new assessments or procedures.

The MAP office (4488 Forest Park Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108) will be closed after 4:30 pm Wednesday, March 18, until further notice.

The Knight ADRC website (knightadrc.wustl.edu) will be updated regularly with any new developments or related information.

We are encouraging MAP/ADRC personnel to work at home; for example,we may try to interview participants by telephone and thus conduct some assessments in this manner. We will be contacting those participants who may be eligible for these telephone assessments..

For MAP participants who have granted permission for brain autopsy and die, the family still should call the MAP nurse on-call (314/286-2683) at the time of death of the participant and the nurse will provide further instructions.

All research studies affiliated with MAP/ADRC also will follow these guidelines.  Representatives from these studies (e.g., Drives) will be in contact with all scheduled participants to inform the participants that these activities also are suspended.

Some MAP research studies that are conducted remotely (e.g., via smartphone), including those being led by Dr. Andrew Aschenbrenner and Dr. Jason Hassenstab, may continue while our office is closed. Hence, you may be contacted by a member of their research team about participating in this research.

Finally, in these extraordinary times, we will monitor developments regarding this pandemic and will provide any important updates or changes to these policies via the Knight ADRC website. Should the website become unable to be updated remotely, please refer to THIS LINK to view PDF informational releases. As May 31 draws near, we also will determine whether and when suspended MAP/ADRC activities can resume.

 

As of Friday April 3, 2020, our information is that the full body donor programs at Washington University and at St louis University no longer are accepting body donations during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. These closures do NOT affect the brain donation program for the Memory and Aging Project (MAP)/Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, but several persons who have granted consent for brain autopsy also joined the full body donor program. The Washington University Body Donor Program may have more information on their voice message at 314-362-3597.

 

Best wishes to EVERYONE and please stay healthy and safe.

 

John C. Morris, M.D.
Harvey A and Dorismae Hacker Friedman Distinguished Professor of Neurology
Professor of Pathology and Immunology
Professor of Physical Therapy
Professor of Occupational Therapy
Director, Knight ADRC
Head of Section of Aging & Dementia