COVID-19 Response

As our communities respond to the rapidly evolving situation related to COVID-19, Family House is committed to supporting all efforts to contain the spread of this virus, and to ensuring the highest level of safety and security for our families. To that end, Family House is following directives issued by CDC, Mayor’s Office, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, and adapting our services as necessary. Specifically, Family House is following the City of San Francisco’s Department of Public Health instructions for residential hotels, which can be viewed here.

Here are the measures that have been put into place in order to best protect the families we serve:

  • Family House is in communication with UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital to receive updates in protocols and information about the virus several times per day;
  • No visitors will be allowed in Family House;
  • All volunteer activity is suspended;
  • Everyone must wash hands upon entering Family House and before and after being in shared spaces, such as kitchens, dining areas, front desk, etc.
  • Every person will be screened at the front door to determine whether FH is an appropriate place to stay;
  • All should do their best to allow social distancing of six feet between them (not family members, but between families and staff);
  • Increased deep cleaning throughout the house;
  • Common areas cleaned several times per day;
  • Latex gloves throughout the house for staff and families, which should be used with care – if a contaminated surface is touched with a gloved hand and then your face is touched, it’s no better than having bare hands;
  • Hand cleaning stations throughout the house;
  • No shared towels or food utensils;
  • Breakfast served in individual portions (i.e. no pot of hot oatmeal or platters of food);
  • All food handling to be done with latex gloves;
  • All events postponed

All guests are asked to reduce the risk of getting sick, and getting others sick by making sure to:

  • Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze by sneezing into your elbow or tissue.
  • Avoid touching your face.
  • Greet others without embracing or shaking hands, like an elbow bump or wave.
  • If you have recently returned from a country, state or region with ongoing COVID-19 infections, monitor your health and follow the instructions of public health officials.
  • Masks are to be worn at all times in public areas of Family House.

If you do experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath and cough:

  • Contact your healthcare provider immediately. Many clinics are now screening patients by phone and are asking patients not to come to clinics unless directed to do so, in order to avoid unnecessary possible exposures to the virus. Your clinic will instruct you how and where your symptoms can be evaluated and treated; you will be offered testing for flu and coronavirus if clinically indicated. However, if you are severely ill, you should go to an emergency room.
  • We thank everyone for your support understanding. As this public health crisis continues to evolve, we will follow up with updates to our scheduled programming and events.