Our staff is paying close attention to resident concerns, Washington state guidelines, and Cornish leadership as we cope with the current pandemic. We are continually evaluating our options and considering what is necessary to ensure the safety of our residents and our communities. 

To keep you informed on our current status and progress, please watch this page and pay close attention to any emails we may send you. Thank you!

Our building follows higher education and school housing guidelines, which may differ from guidelines for other housing or local businesses. We will continue to take any necessary measures to ensure healthy and safe communities for our residents and staff. Our team is tracking and evaluating local King County updates on a regular basis, and we will inform residents directly when our protocols change. 

Vaccination is required for all residents. Please plan accordingly and expect to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 before move-in. Thank you!

Please note that the city of Seattle no longer requires proof of vaccination to enter restaurants, indoor entertainment venues, and outdoor events, but some venues may still maintain that requirement independently. 

All of our facilities are open, with some additional rules for community safety. Please wear surgical or KN95-grade face masks in all parts of the building other than your residential room. Eating and drinking in public spaces is not permitted. Please follow occupancy guidelines in lounges and other rooms. 

For more detail on our currently implemented measures, please continue to read below. 

 Please contact us to learn more about our current guest restrictions. These policies are fluid and dictated by our building's need for the safety of our community. They may include restriction of all guests, limited guest access with required proof of vaccination, or other limitations. You can learn about the current guest policy at your move-in. 

Additionally, residents are not allowed to have more than one resident visit them in their rooms. If a resident visits another room, all occupants must wear face coverings for the full duration of the visit. 

HANDWASHING

Cornish Commons recommends following handwashing guidelines as a way of preventing the transmission of illness. Handwashing should be performed frequently, especially after being in public or touching shared surfaces.

For more information about handwashing, please visit this CDC webpage.

FACE COVERAGE

The Center for Disease Control currently recommends the use of face coverings for the protection of yourself and others. 

All individuals must wear face coverings over their noses and mouths when they will be at (1) indoor public settings, or (2) outdoor public locations and cannot maintain distancing of approximately six feet from another individual who does not share their household. Cornish Commons requires a minimum standard of surgical or N95-grade face masks. With regard to this directive, residents should consider their residential room to be their household.

• You could spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick.
• Everyone should wear a face cover when they have to go out in public, for example to the grocery store or to pick up other necessities. Our common spaces in the building count as "public" for the purposes of this guideline.
• Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
• The face cover is meant to protect other people in case you are infected.
• Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.

For more information on using face coverings, please visit this CDC webpage. 

SOCIAL DISTANCING

Our staff is following social distancing measures for the protection of our community, and we encourage our residents to do the same. Social distancing means:

• Stay at least 3 feet (about an arms’ length) from other people
• Do not gather in groups
• Stay out of crowded places and avoid mass gatherings

Activities and areas of the building which encourage social gathering are currently being closed or restricted at this time. The building is equipped with strong Wi-Fi that will support remote work and remote study needs, such as teleconferencing. Ethernet cables are recommended for an enhanced experience. 

We thank all of you who are doing your best to prevent the potential transmission of illness within our community.

WELCOME DESK SERVICES

Our regular welcome desk services are available. When appropriate, we still recommend that you reach out to us remotely. You can Email us any time at housing@cornish.edu. You can also call us at 206.315.5852 or use the on-call phone number provided to you at move-in.

QUARANTINE MEASURES

If you as a resident believe quarantine measures are necessary, please self-report your circumstances as quickly as possible using the On-Call 24-Hour phone line, or by email.