Covid-19 Guidance

When we approach a member of the public for face to face fieldwork, our fieldworkers:

1. Avoid people who look visibly unwell
2. Wear a face covering and gloves
3. Stand at least two metres away from potential participants
4. Carry tissues and sanitary wipes and throw away in a bin any which are used
5. Avoid touching the nose, mouth, or eyes
6. Avoid any physical contact such as shaking a participant’s hand

If during face to face data collection research we need to show showcards, stimulus materials, or product this will only be undertaken in agreement with the respondent and with appropriate infection control methods:

1. We use sanitising wipes to clean data collection support materials
2. We sanitise show materials before and after each interview
3. We transfer sanitised materials to and from participants safely e.g. putting information on the ground, garden walls (as appropriate depending on the environment) and stepping back two metres to allow participants to retrieve information

Any incentives are sent electronically to the respondent after the interview.

Fieldworkers are not permitted to enter participants' properties to undertake interviews. We can only undertake in-home / door-to-door face to face data collection activity at least two metres apart from the respondent and outside of their home. If participants offer partial cover, e.g. undertaking research in garages, porches, etc., we can accept such requests so long as we do not compromise social distancing rules.

Fieldworkers are not permitted to enter respondent homes so all interaction takes place on the doorstep with the interviewer standing two metres away from the respondent. We transfer sanitised products to the respondent safely e.g. in bags and by placing it on the doorstep and stepping back two metres to allow participants to retrieve the product. Respondents then test the product as per the study guidelines. We advise that follow up interviews happen either online or by telephone to reduce face to face interaction as much as possible. In cases where product needs to be retrieved from the respondent, we arrange a collection time with the respondent and instruct them to wipe down / sanitise the used product containers. We collect the product at the arranged time using the same socially distanced rules i.e. the respondent places the used products in a bag on the doorstep and steps back to allow the fieldworker to collect it.

Fieldwork will only be conducted outside of premises e.g. in high streets, outside retail premises, outside shopping centres, inside shopping centres but outside of individual retail premises. We will make sure that there is enough space to undertake in-street / exit face to face data collection safely with participants. We stand at least two metres apart and do not cause obstruction to other individuals or the possibility of contact of less than two metres with other individuals in the vicinity.