The Effects Of Covid-19 On Radiological Security - Insights From Radiological Material Licensees 

As the world continues to suffer the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations, including those possessing high activity radioactive materials, are struggling with continuing daily operations with the challenging conditions the virus has created. The pandemic has stressed organizational resources to the limit and leaders of these organizations are faced with challenges on multiple fronts, including maintaining the integrity of their radiological security plans. Although many of these organizations have emergency plans and/or a disaster recovery capability, few had been able to anticipate the far-reaching consequences of the pandemic. Radiological assets serve important roles in medical, research, and commercial applications. However, if these radioactive sources were to fall into the wrong hands, they could be used in a radiological dispersal device (“dirty bomb”) or in other acts of terrorism. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Radiological Security (ORS) partners with these organizations to better secure their sensitive radiological assets. These partnerships have given ORS a unique perspective on the effects of COVID-19 as it relates to the security of radioactive materials. The authors of this paper interviewed over two dozen United States radiological material licensees, security integrators, regulators, and others to gain an understanding of the “new normal” as it relates to radiological security. This paper will explore some of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the security of radiological assets, highlight common issues, and offer suggestions for addressing security concerns during these challenging times. Furthermore, this paper will identify lessons learned from the pandemic that could be applied to improve radiological security plans.