June 12, 2023

As announced in March 2023, the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) has undertaken a multi-step process to establish protocols to manage the continuing risks presented by COVID-19 to deployers of the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP).

The protocols have been developed based on community feedback and recommendations presented by a subcommittee of the Advisory Committee of the Office of Polar Programs. The subcommittee report and a full response can be found here. Following review of the recommendations, NSF developed the season protocols which are in addition to the health and hygiene protocols (e.g., handwashing stations, cleaning regimens) already in place across USAP.  

For this season USAP will focus efforts on identifying and managing individuals who are symptomatic and require clinic-level care. The objective for the season is to provide care to those individuals, either in situ or through timely medical evacuation, to avoid serious, negative health outcomes. Four principles have been identified to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to respond to infections throughout the season: Prevention, Monitoring, Treatment, and Response.   

Read the complete protocols for details.

---

The U.S. National Science Foundation propels the nation forward by advancing fundamental research in all fields of science and engineering. NSF supports research and people by providing facilities, instruments and funding to support their ingenuity and sustain the U.S. as a global leader in research and innovation. With a fiscal year 2023 budget of $9.5 billion, NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 40,000 competitive proposals and makes about 11,000 new awards. Those awards include support for cooperative research with industry, Arctic and Antarctic research and operations, and U.S. participation in international scientific efforts.

 Get News Updates by Email 

Connect with us online
NSF website: nsf.gov
NSF News: nsf.gov/news
For News Media: nsf.gov/news/newsroom
Statistics: nsf.gov/statistics/
Awards database: nsf.gov/awardsearch/

Follow us on social
Twitter: twitter.com/NSF
Facebook: facebook.com/US.NSF
Instagram: instagram.com/nsfgov