MCA Facilities Remain Open, Precautions Are Being Taken To Maintained Facilities Sanitized, MCA Staff In-Office Limited, MCA Meetings and Travel Postponed, But the MCA’s Work Continues Amid COVID-19

To Our Valued MCA and BIO-EPJ Partners:

In accordance with guidance and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the State of Texas to mitigate community spread of COVID-19, the MCA Foundation is reducing its in-office work, effective today, with an anticipated return to normal operations on Monday, April 6, 2020, subject to change based on circumstances.

The MCA’s Cardwell Collaborative and the South VA Wellness Center will remain open. (For more information about VA operations, please refer directly to their websites and phone numbers.) MCA staff critical to facility operations will be working from our offices in a manner consistent with public health guidelines. In addition, other measures have been instituted to best protect the buildings’ users, such as having our maintenance contractors switch to hospital-grade cleaners and corresponding cleaning practices until safe to return to normal operations.

MCA will be making accommodations for staff who will require telework options. All MCA staff will, however, remain accessible via email, phone, and remote meeting technologies. And although we are ceasing all business-related travel, as well as canceling or postponing MCA-hosted convenings and public events until notified otherwise, our work and operations will press on. We will keep you informed of modifications to meetings, such as holding Zoom/Go-To meetings or conference calls when possible as an alternative. And we will do everything we can to minimize disruptions to our work.

The MCA’s mission to catalyze a robust life science in the Paso del Norte region that is globally competitive has never been more important. A resilient and state-of-the-art medical and public health ecosystem in our region must be of the highest priorities for our community. Contributing to biomedical research advances that could assist in pandemics like the one we are undergoing as well as that could alleviate chronic and other conditions must be of the highest priorities for our region. Having a strong medical device manufacturing ecosystem – including a local supply chain – that supplies the world during crises like these must be of the highest priorities for our region. Thus, the work of the MCA Foundation and BIO-EPJ must go on with the full support of our community. This has never been more apparent.

Given the pandemic’s fluidity and uncertainty, we will continue to actively monitor the situation, adjust accordingly, and update you on any and all changes in our operations. Please know that your partnership and your own health are of paramount importance to us at the MCA Foundation and BIO-EPJ.

Yours in safety and good health,

Emma W. Schwartz
President, MCA Foundation
CEO, BIO El Paso-Juarez