In the last two weeks, COVID-19, or Coronavirus of Wuhan (the Chinese city where the outbreak of this viral disease began), has been declared a Pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The first measures taken by the Institute last week were to promote teleworking, rotation of technical laboratory and services staff, and cancel all events of scientific dissemination and promotion. That week coincided with the inauguration of Insticiencia, the program of visits by secondary school students to encourage scientific vocations.

On Saturday 14 March, Royal Decree 463/2020 was approved, declaring the state of alarm to manage the health crisis caused by COVID-19, in an extraordinary BOE. This Royal Decree obliges citizens in Spain to remain in their homes, and only go out to take care of dependents and children, buy food or drugs, or to go and return from their workplaces when teleworking is not possible.

However, the Josep Carreras Research Institute wants to encourage most of its staff to stay away from the workplace. Manel Esteller, the Josep Carreras Institute's Director, advised those who are unable to telework, to take time off and stop their activity, to limit the flow of people to the three Institute's campuses, and the main building in Badalona. Esteller will only authorize carrying out tasks and experiments whose interruption could have dire effects or represent considerable damage to people or resources. Therefore the Institute's headquarters will remain closed to the public and to staff who do not have extraordinary access permission. In this way, the Institute is not only joining the fight against the coronavirus and preventing hospitals and health personnel from collapsing but is also carrying out a pilot test of flexibility and teleworking to ease family conciliation and reduce the carbon footprint in a near future.