COVID-19 Updates
A Message from Horizon House:
With the continuing changes surrounding Coronavirus, we are focused on our number one priority: keeping the Horizon House community safe and healthy. Below you will find our latest COVID-19 updates & FAQ. We post updates only when we have them so this page may not be updated daily.
If family members have any specific questions or concerns, please email us at: questions@horizonhouse.org.
•Indoor visitations in Assisted Living (AL) are now open, no reservations are required. Screening is required upon arrival, masks must remain on for the duration of the visit, and dining with AL residents is not allowed.
•See the 2/28/22 update below for new information regarding guest dining.
Guidance for Visitors
Visitor and Travel Guidance
Visitors, compassionate care visitors, and residents returning from out of Washington, or coming to Washington to visit, are required to follow the CDC’s travel guidance per Governor Inslee’s recent Proclamation. This guidance was updated Friday, April 2, 2021 as follows:
- Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19.
- People who are fully vaccinated with an FDA-authorized vaccine can travel safely:
- Fully vaccinated travelers do not need to get tested before or after travel unless their destination requires it
- Fully vaccinated travelers do not need to self-quarantine
- Fully vaccinated travelers should still follow CDC’s recommendations for traveling safely including:
- Wear a mask over your nose and mouth
- Stay 6 feet from others and avoid crowds
- Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer
Update: 4/11/2022
Unfortunately, we have experienced a recurrence of the Covid virus with two AL resident cases over the weekend, as reported below.
To contain further exposure within the Horizon House community, we strongly discourage outside visitors as well as independent living Friendly Visitors volunteers at this time. Your understanding and cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated!
As we continue to monitor the situation, you can expect an additional update this coming Thursday, April 14.
Boosters:
Bartell Drugs will be onsite to provide boosters on Wednesday, April 27. We’ll announce the
schedule and the process for signing up as soon as this is confirmed with Bartell’s.
Update: 3/24/2022
Since we continue to experience no case transmissions within Horizon House, the Covid Task Force has decided to relax our schedule of Thursday communications for the time being. After today, Thursday, March 24, we will continue updates on an as-needed basis only. We expect to resume weekly communications if there is a recurrence of cases within our community or if other new developments warrant doing so.
Update: 3/10/2022
While we continue to experience no new cases, you may be aware of news regarding the Omicron BA.2 variant. The Covid Task Force is actively monitoring the situation and will continue to keep you apprised of any new information as it unfolds.
You may also have heard that Pfizer is currently submitting data to the FDA around the need for a fourth booster. Information regarding a fourth booster is not included on the CDC website as yet, but we will continue to be proactive regarding the approval process along with if and when an additional booster may become available.
New for Horizon House singing and instrumental groups: we have previously maintained restrictions for our resident musical groups due to the higher risk of aerosol droplets being spread while singing or playing wind instruments. However, we are now easing restrictions as per below:
• Singers and wind instrument players up-to-date with all vaccines may gomask-free but should maintain appropriate physical distance from one another.
• Please continue to sing and play instruments in well-ventilated areas and avoid sharing microphones.
Update: 3/10/2022
No new cases and no active cases to report!
As you may know, Governor’s Inslee is ending the mask mandate beginning Saturday, March 12, for some settings. Effective that date, some protocols are changing here at Horizon House. While Independent Living (IL) residents will no longer be required to wear masks, please closely note the following:
- Because Assisted Living (AL) is a healthcare setting, all AL visitors must continue to wear masks. They are required to continue screening at the kiosk upon arrival, including IL residents visiting AL. Eating and drinking with an AL resident is allowed ONLY in their apartment or in the AL private dining room by reservation. Please contact Ildiko Pikali, Director of Life Enrichment, at 206-382-3231 to reserve the private dining room.
- IL visitors are no longer required to wear masks, but their vaccinations should be up-to-date. We aren’t able to track their vaccinations, so we rely on the honor system. Guests must continue to screen at a kiosk upon arrival. Those visitors who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated, including all children under 5, must also screen, wear masks at all times, and may not eat or drink in the Terrace Dining Room, Bistro, or Fireside Lounge.
- While it is a personal decision, we strongly encourage IL residents to wear masks in crowded indoor settings and meetings, whether inside or outside Horizon House. Especially when not wearing masks, please keep proper distancing in mind.
- Because of the close proximity of people at the Monday Market, residents and guests are still required to wear masks while shopping. Outside shoppers are allowed.
- Speakers for formal presentations will no longer be required to mask since they are physically distanced from the audience.
- Because of the risk of Covid exposure from aerosol droplets, restrictions on singing and woodwind groups remain in place until updated guidance is available from the Department of Health.
- All Horizon House staff will continue to wear masks until further notice.
Update: 2/28/2022
No new cases and no active cases to report! Our masking mandate remains in place as we await further guidance from the King County Health Department.
SPACE AND SERVICE UPDATES – as of Monday, February 28, 2022
-Terrace Dining Room & Bistro will open for outside guests beginning Weds, March 2. Masks required except while eating/drinking. Unvaccinated guests may not dine in our spaces and will need to wear a mask in all public areas.
-Fireside Lounge coffee bar and catered events reopen today, Feb. 28.
-Assisted Living is open to indoor visits. All visitors must screen and wear masks through duration of the visit.
Update: 2/23/2022
As of today, Wednesday, February 23, we are pleased to report no new cases since Thursday, February 17. While Governor Inslee is ending the mask mandate in Washington State on Monday, March 21 for specified settings, masks will still be mandated for others. Despite the new state-wide guidance, it will not be in effect locally until evaluated by the King County Public Health Department. Masking will continue at Horizon House for the foreseeable future.
Update: 2/17/2022
As we continue to evaluate our current restrictions, we are holding steady on any changes at present in anticipation of further information from Governor Jay Inslee’s press conference later today, Thursday, February 17.
You may be aware that the CDC plans to announce new masking guidelines soon. However, please note these CDC guidelines cannot be implemented until the Washington state Department of Health, in consultation with the Governor’s office, determines state and local guidance—which we follow at Horizon House
Update: 2/11/2022
Horizon House currently has two new active case of COVID in our community: 1 Assisted Living Resident and 1 Assisted Living Staff. There are a total of 3 active cases in the Horizon House Community.
As you’re probably aware, many areas across the U.S. are in the process of changing some of their COVID guidance, particularly around mask usage. While we’ll all continue to wear masks, our
additional restrictions will remain in place for now since outside risks remain. We feel that a “wait and see” stance is prudent as the situation evolves. Thank you for your understanding.
Update: 2/3/2022
Horizon House currently has one new active case of COVID in our community: 1 Assisted Living Resident. There are a total of 4 active cases in the Horizon House Community.
SPACE AND SERVICE UPDATES – as of Thursday, February 3, 2022
- The number of residents enjoying beverages or dining in the Bistro or Terrace Dining Room has been increased to TWO households per table. As in prior weeks, external guests are prohibited from dining in the Bistro or Terrace Dining Room until further notice.
- NEW DATE – Assisted Living (AL) will remain closed to visitors through Tuesday, February 15, and may be extended beyond this date until we realize 14 days with no new cases. Compassion Care and essential support persons will be the only exceptions allowed.
- AL outdoor visitations are available in the same location as previously, right outside of the library on Terry Avenue. To schedule an outdoor visit with an AL resident, please contact Life Enrichment at 206-621-4864 or 206-382-3793 and a Life Enrichment Associate will contact you to coordinate a visit.
- Consuming food or beverages in any public area or meeting rooms is prohibited until further notice. The Fireside Lounge coffee bar remains closed.
- You may choose to dine with others in your apartment, but we urge caution in your decision.
- No catered events will be allowed. All other events and programs will proceed as scheduled. While we are not closing in-person scheduled events, participation is your choice based upon your own comfort level. We are currently reviewing which upcoming events we’ll be able to offer in a hybrid format, that is, both an in-person presentation which is also live streamed or recorded for viewing on HHTV.
- With restricted measures in place for your safety, please know that we have performed
increased high-touch cleaning in public areas throughout the pandemic, and it continues
daily.
Update: 1/31/2022
Although our case counts are beginning to decline, we continue to follow King County Department of Health and CDC guidance. It recommends that there be no new onset of cases for 14 days before we can broadly decrease January’s additional restrictions and return to our pre-surge safety measures.
Horizon House currently has one new active case of COVID in our community: 1 Independent Living Staff. There are a total of 6 active cases in the Horizon House Community.
Update: 1/24/2022
Based on case identification and contact tracing with each reported case during our current outbreak, most were traced to external exposures from family and/or friends for both staff and
residents. Two independent Living (IL) residents had unknown sources.
We have not yet identified intra-community transmission in IL based upon:
1) review of all activities of those affected in the previous 14 days from symptom onset
2) the activities of close contacts within the 48 hours prior to onset of symptoms
3) close contacts testing negative five days post-exposure Lapses in consistent safety measures absolutely lead to transmission, primarily from improper mask use—here, and in the greater community.
We are required to report all cases to King County Public Health and consult regularly with them on our current protocols.
Horizon House currently has 4 new cases of COVID in our community: 1 Assisted Living Resident, 2 Assisted Living staff, 1 Independent Living staff. There are a total of 12 actives cases in the Horizon House community.
Update: 1/24/2022
Horizon House remains free of known intra-community exposure. All current cases are likely due to outside exposure. We currently have 5 new active cases of COVID in our community: 2 Assisted Living staff, 3 Independent Living staff. There are a total of 15 active cases in the Horizon House community.
Update: 1/20/2022
Horizon House currently has 5 new active cases of COVID in our community: 2 Assisted Living staff, 3 Independent Living staff. There are a total of 16 active cases in the Horizon House community.
SPACE AND SERVICE UPDATES – as of Thursday, January 20, 2022
- New – Assisted Living (AL) will remain closed to visitors through Friday, January 28, and may be extended beyond this date. Compassion Care and essential support persons will be the only exceptions allowed.
- We have the availability for AL outdoor visitations in the same location as previously, right outside of the library on Terry Avenue. If you would like to schedule an outdoor visit with an AL resident, please contact Life Enrichment at either 206-621-4864 or 206-382-3793 and a Life Enrichment Associate will contact you to coordinate a visit
- Consuming food or beverages in any public area or meeting rooms is prohibited until further notice. The Fireside Lounge coffee bar remains closed.
- No external guests may dine in the Bistro or Terrace Dining Room until further notice. Residents enjoying beverages or dining in the Bistro or Terrace Dining Room are limited to one household or a maximum of two single persons per table.
- You may choose to dine with others in your apartment, but we urge caution in your decision.
- No catered events will be allowed. All other events and programs will proceed as scheduled. While we are not closing in-person scheduled events, participation is your choice based upon your own comfort level. We are currently reviewing which upcoming events we’ll be able to offer in a hybrid format, that is, both an in-person presentation which is also live streamed or recorded for viewing on HHTV.
- With restricted measures in place for your safety, please know that we have performed increased high-touch cleaning in public areas throughout the pandemic, and it continues daily.
Update: 1/18/2022
While new cases continue to rise, we have remained free of any known intra-community exposure. Horizon House currently has 12 new active cases of COVID in our community: 6 Independent Living residents, 3 Assisted Living staff, 3 Independent Living staff. There are a total of 23 active cases in the Horizon House community.
SPACE AND SERVICE UPDATES – as of Tuesday, January 18, 2022
- Assisted Living (AL) remains closed to visitors until further notice. Compassion Care and essential support persons will be the only exceptions allowed.
- New — We are currently arranging the availability of AL outdoor visitations in the same location as previously, right outside of the library on Terry Avenue. If you would like to schedule an outdoor visit with an AL resident, please contact Life Enrichment at either 206-621-4864 or 206-382-3793 and a Life Enrichment Associate will contact you to coordinate a visit.
- Consuming food or beverages in any public area or meeting rooms is prohibited until further notice. The Fireside Lounge coffee bar remains closed.
- No outside guests may dine in the Bistro or Terrace Dining Room until further notice. Residents enjoying beverages or dining in the Bistro or Terrace Dining Room are limited to one household or a maximum of two single persons per table.
- You may choose to dine with others in your apartment, but we urge caution in your decision.
- No catered events will be allowed. All other events and programs will proceed as scheduled.
- New — While we are not closing in-person scheduled events, participation is your choice based upon your own comfort level. We are currently reviewing which upcoming events we’ll be able to offer in a hybrid format, that is, both an in-person presentation which is also live streamed or recorded for viewing on HHTV.
- New — With restricted measures in place for your safety, please know that we have performed increased high-touch cleaning in public areas throughout the pandemic, and it continues daily.
Update: 1/13/2022
Horizon House currently have 8 new active cases of COVID in our community: 2 Assisted Living residents, 3 Assisted Living staff, 3 Independent Living staff. There are a total of 13 active cases in the Horizon House community.
SPACE AND SERVICE UPDATES – as of Thursday, January 13, 2022
- Assisted Living (AL) remains closed to visitors until further notice. Compassion Care and
essential support persons will be the only exceptions allowed. - Consuming food or beverages in any public area or meeting rooms is prohibited until further
notice. The Fireside Lounge coffee bar remains closed. - No outside guests may dine in the Bistro or Terrace Dining Room until further notice.
Residents enjoying beverages or dining in the Bistro or Terrace Dining Room are limited to
one household or a maximum of two single persons per table. - You may choose to dine with others in your apartment, but we urge caution in your decision.
- No catered events will be allowed. All other events and programs will proceed as scheduled.
Update: 1/10/2022
COVID-19 transmission rates in King County are at an all-time high, and at Horizon House our current numbers now meet the Department of Health definition of an “institutional outbreak”. We may have possible inter-community transmission as we continue contact tracing for the most recently diagnosed cases. Review of our recent cases frequently identifies inconsistent mask use during eating and drinking settings as a common occurrence. To mitigate this risk as we attempt to control the outbreak at Horizon House, the COVID Task Force is instituting the measures outlined in this communication. No other capacity limiting restrictions are currently being recommended. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.
—Findlay Wallace, M.D.
Chair, Health Advisory Group (HAG); Member, COVID Task Force
Update: 1/6/2022
All recent Independent Living (IL) residents who previously reported positive for COVID have recovered. However, we continue to learn from more residents about exposures outside of the Horizon House community, often from friends and family. To date, there has not been any inter-community transmission at Horizon House.
Many test sites are not testing asymptomatic persons after exposures, which further highlights the critical need for everyone to continue wearing masks properly and consistently! If any transmission within our community occurs, we may need to temporarily revise protocols for services and programs such as capacity restrictions in meeting and activity spaces.
We are currently experiencing an increase in staff cases. The state is working hard to procure rapid test kits for staff, and we are hopeful to begin receiving the first shipment of test kits soon. Please be safe!
-Lauri Warfield Larson, COO
Update: 1/3/2022
The previously reported COVID cases among Independent Living (IL) residents have
resolved. They are all fully recovered.
Two IL staff cases have been confirmed, both with unknown sources of exposure. One staff
member last worked on December 19th and the other on December 27th. Both were fully
vaccinated, tested, and are recovering at home.
One Assisted Living (AL) staff case has been confirmed, with family members as the source
of exposure. They are fully vaccinated, last worked on December 27th, tested positive on
January 1st, and are recovering at home.
None of our three confirmed cases had been in contact with the other confirmed cases. We
continue to monitor the COVID surge closely as residents and staff notify us of exposures.
Update: 12/30/2021
We have three new positive cases in our community: one Independent Living (IL) resident,
and two IL staff members. The fully vaccinated resident has mild symptoms and is isolating.
The two IL staff members are fully vaccinated. One last worked on Sunday, December 19,
and the other on Friday, December 24. Both have mild symptoms. Contact tracing was
completed and they are recovering at home.None of our six confirmed cases had been in contact with any of the other confirmed cases.
We continue to monitor the COVID surge closely as residents and staff notify us of
exposures.
Because someone may be infected and unaware of it before testing, the critical key to
preventing transmission within Horizon House is PROPER MASK USE.
Update: 12/28/2021
We have one additional positive Independent Living (IL) resident case in our community. This fully vaccinated resident had family exposure, has mild symptoms, and remains in isolation. None of our 3 confirmed cases had been in contact with any of the others. We continue to monitor the COVID surge closely and are being notified by residents of exposures.