The global impact of the pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019, better known as COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has caused more than one million deaths around the world (^{Atalla et al., 2021}) (4.8 million at the time of publication; Editor’s Note). Some countries, such as the United States of America, have reported the death of almost half a million people, and according to current data, the trend may continue to increase (https://covidtracking.com/). The same has happened in Mexico, where the death of almost 200,000 people has been reported (284k at press time; Editor’s Note), with an increasing tendency for the following months. The disease has also left many people with recovery sequelae ranging from mild to severe (^{Hamadneh et al., 2021}). At the time of writing this assay, a mass vaccination campaign is being conducted in several countries. However, the distribution of the two or three available vaccines has not been homogeneous (^{Walker et al., 2020}). Likewise, the impact of COVID-19 has also been uneven in some countries due to differences in occupational activity, gender, age, related chronic diseases, or prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 (^{Ruiz-Cantero, 2021}; ^{Singh, 2021}). Countries with more economic power have hoarded a large number of vaccines. This strategy may backfire, given the large flows of people between countries, which would require broader efforts from high-GDP countries to support the populations of developing countries, neighboring or not, (Walker et al., 2020). The economic consequences of COVID-19 are still unmeasurable. In Mexico, GDP fell by 8.5% in 2020, the worst economic downturn since 1932. Interestingly, the agricultural sector did not register a production decrease; in fact, agricultural revenues rose by 2% (Saldivar, B. El Economista. Note of January 29, 2021). This happened mainly because agriculture, and the supply of food in general, was considered an essential activity in Mexico and most countries.

Preventive measures against COVID-19 in higher education institutions

The impact of COVID-19 on Universities and Research Institutes, whether public or private, has been deeply negative. Mexico’s Secretary of Education implemented a lockdown that forced all educational institutions to convert to online mode since March 20, 2020 (https://www.animalpolitico.com/2020/03/sep-adelanta-vacaciones-semana-santa- 30-days-coronavirus/). Universities around the world, including the Universidad Michoacana University de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, in which I work as a Professor, implemented several measures to avoid COVID-19 contagions among teachers and students at all educational levels. These measures were based mainly on four principles:

Universities are at a crossroads. Should they continue to function or keep their student population away from the risk of contagion? Unfortunately, many of the professors of higher education institutions are part of the population at risk, which means that they are over 60 years old and suffer from chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular or respiratory problems (^{Atalla et al., 2021}).

Impact of COVID-19 on Scientific Research

In Mexico, the vast majority of scientific research and publications are done in public education institutions, although some private institutions are implementing strong measures to hire and retain teachers that also carry out research work (^{Ortega-Rubio et al., 2020}; ^{Rodríguez-Miramontes et al., 2017}). The current confinement measures have had different effects on research activities. For example, researchers who work with living models, such as animals or plants, need to carry out experiments in person, but due to the existing restrictions for accessing institutional laboratories, many of the experiments have been truncated. Expensive materials and reagents have had to be discarded. Given the lack of strong financing sources, the damage is even greater.

Likewise, most of the research is carried out by graduate students as part of their thesis projects (^{Ortega-Rubio et al., 2020}; ^{Mazón and Aguirre, 2017}). Theoretical investigations, performed in ‘dry’ laboratories, where in silico research is carried out, have been the ‘least affected’ since they require only good computer equipment and the necessary software. Some students/advisers have chosen to change or modify the thesis topic due to the impossibility of carrying out certain experiments in laboratories or greenhouses. Students are forced to finish their research in time because some programs, including master’s programs, which usually last 4 semesters, must fulfill their obligations toward CONACYT and other institutions, otherwise the students would not obtain their degree on time. In my case, we have been restricted to access the institution laboratories for almost a year (19 months at the time of publication; Editor’s Note). Thus, 50% of the courses and research activities of master’s students have been carried out away from the University. The effect on doctoral students has been perhaps milder. However, they need to publish in prestigious journals, for which they require to carry out research activities in the laboratory in order to generate results. Thus, students face the dilemma of conducting quality research or staying healthy at home in the face of COVID-19.

How to keep investigating in the face of the COVID-19 threat?

In 2021, COVID-19 has continued to be a threat to the student, administrative and faculty populations. It is increasingly common to learn of infected students and teachers, as well as, sadly, of the death of beloved colleagues. Thus, how to keep investigating in the face of COVID-19? Although the question seems more philosophical than existential, confinement has had a tangible effect on the mental health of many students and teachers (^{Copeland et al., 2021}). The constant worry and stress generated by the confinement does are not conducive to the work of reviewing research works and theses, writing articles, and keeping publications up to date, all of which must be submitted to competency evaluation programs such as the ESDEPED (Program of Incentives to the Performance of Teaching Personnel), SNI (National System of Researchers), and internal financing programs, among others.

Some colleagues have chosen to continue performing their academic activities through online means and still present progress reports and seminars at a distance through online platforms such as Youtube, Meet, Bluejeans, etc., the use of some of them requires payment. These online platforms have undoubtedly ‘saved’ (and continue to do so) many academic programs and have allowed to maintain contact between colleagues, advisors, and undergraduate and graduate students. Postgraduate students have been able to present research progress seminars, a requirement for fulfilling the conditions established by CONACYT (National Council of Science and Technology) for all graduate programs that are part of the National Quality Graduate Program (PNPC).

Applied research requires experiments in agricultural fields, the use of greenhouses, and/or “wet” laboratories. This is the case of much of the research related to Plant Health. This type of research requires the physical presence of students, and in many cases of their academic advisers, especially when the students are just starting their research projects. Confinement measures have affected all work related to taking care of plants, maintaining research facilities, and purchasing research supplies. So that laboratories and greenhouses are not abandoned, students and staff have started to attend the university facilities on alternate days, in some cases only for a few hours. This has allowed students and other researchers to keep doing experimental work to some extent. Figure 1 shows students and professors working on a safe Lab environment. All of them immunized with different vacciones anti-SARS-CoV-2.

Conclusions

I sustain that researchers in Mexico and other Latin American countries have developed a certain resilience as a result of the public and institutional policies that influence their work. The opportunity to travel and carry out studies or research stays in countries with better economic conditions and scientific infrastructure has allowed us to gain a critical perspective on the situation with which we have to deal every day in our institutions. Bureaucratic procedures, an excessive administrative burden, strikes, delayed wages, multitasking not associated with didactic or research work, etc. Nonetheless, we still manage to carry out competitive research. If health allows us, Mexican researchers will continue working, adding to our daily challenges the problems created by this pandemic, to support our students and higher education institutions. Because of the passion we have for investigating and teaching, because Mexico, our country, requires and demands it.

Figure 1 Photographic composicion showing students and professor working on a safe Lab environment at the Institute of Chemical and Biological Research, UMSNH. All of them immunized with different vacciones anti-SARS-CoV-2. Pictures taken on October 21^st, 2021.