In-home data collection restarted

In its latest guidance on research during Covid-19, MRS said that before any in-home data collection can begin, companies should become familiar with the requirements in its guidance Undertaking Safe Face-to-Face Data Collection and ensure staff are trained appropriately.

Measures included in the latest guidance include only entering research participants’ properties after an initial risk assessment has taken place, carrying out continuous agile risk assessments once inside the home and endeavouring to schedule in-home data collection.

Other guidance includes reducing the risk of transmission when sharing objects, scheduling in-home data collection and offering alternative data collection methods if a risk profile changes, such as if in-home conditions alter.

In-home research may also have to be paused again if the Covid-19 situation across the UK changes significantly, MRS said, and the risks from in-home data collection rise.

The changes in guidance are based on a small pilot carried out in August, which the MRS said produced “favourable results”.

MRS has also withdrawn its separate Scottish protection level guidance after Scotland moved away from the protection level system previously in place.

More information on MRS’s Covid-19 guidance can be found here.