We study human origins from the related disciplines of archaeology, palaeoanthropology and allied geosciences, which are driven forward by making new discoveries in the field. Collectively, our scientific ecosystem informs climate change policy, heritage management and conservation practices. The pandemic has forced an inevitable pause on our work, but several scientific studies now indicate that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), may be here to stay1,2,3,4,5,6. Critically for fieldwork and related travel considerations, the pandemic will increasingly display temporally and spatially fragmented peaks and troughs7. Complicating this is the fact that affected countries are not consistent in their public health decisions and application of World Health Organization (WHO) guidance8, particularly in terms of easing containment measures. Regional and country-based variations in the availability and quality of appropriate healthcare also underline the importance of protecting at risk communities.