As of January 14, 2022

January 14, 2021

We have had 5 staff members and 2 residents NOW means testing positive and are quarantined. Positivity rate for Elkhart County is 32.8 %-this is 1 out of 3 persons who have been tested and reported has tested positive. This does not include self-administered at home test results which are not reported. A reminder to us all that the Omicron strain of COVID is 3x more transmissible than the two early strains.

In a sea of changing guidelines, we have been asked by many why people who have been vaccinated and boostered may still contract COVID-19. The facts are simple. A vaccination and booster have never been a guarantee you will not contract COVID-19. The vax/boost, along with continued masking, hand washing, and social distancing significantly reduce the risk and severity of getting COVID. Again, the Omicron variant transmits 2-3 times faster and reinfections occur at 5 times the rate of the prior strains.

Friends, these numbers are increasing exponentially each day. And we want to remind you of the facts reported since the onset of COVID. The long-term health effects of having COVID-19 are still not clearly understood, but “long haul syndrome” is still present among many who have had COVID.

We want to remind you that should your family member show ANY signs or symptoms of COVID-19 you will be notified at once by our nursing staff.

As we have done previously during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are going to publish a few frequently asked questions from families or other interested parties each day as they become available, and have current, relevant, and accurate information.

• If the COVID-19 outbreak is as serious as reported, why do you continue to allow visitors and families into the building or remove their loved ones for visits versus suspending visitation as you have done in the past?
  • The answer lies in new and revised guidance from the IDOH over the past months mandating that all long-term care facilities allow visitation and taking loved ones to and from the facility. During the initial alpha strain of COVID two years ago, the health and safety of our residents was in our hands. We were successful in mitigating significant risk, positive cases, and deaths at that time because we had the latitude to do what we knew would work in our facility.

• Are positive staff members transmitting COVID within Hubbard Hill?
  • According to our contact tracing, positive staff members have not contracted COVID at Hubbard. The positive cases thus far have been transmitted due to exposure outside of Hubbard with family, children, spouses, or friends who have presented symptoms are actually tested positive.

• How widespread is omicron?
  • In literal terms VERY. Positivity as reported in Elkhart County is 31.1% among those tests reported which do not include self-tests which would drive the number higher. This number far exceeds any previous COVID figures. The other mitigating element is the fact that unlike previous strains, omicron is touching ALL GENERATIONS. There are no age groups which are not contributing to the omicron outbreak.

We continue to respectfully ask that you adhere to all regulations which have been put in place by the Indiana Department of Health at Hubbard Hill. These directives are in place to keep our staff and residents safe, and our staff is committed to ensuring compliance. Please know they are simply doing their jobs to keep everyone safe and ask that you acknowledge and respect their responsibilities which they professionally carry out each day.

“This too, shall pass.
When things are bad, remember, it will not always be this way.
Take one day at a time.
When things are good, remember, it will not always be this way.
Enjoy every great moment.”
– Unknown

January 13, 2021

We have had 1 staff member testing positive and is quarantined. Positivity rate for Elkhart County is 31.1%-this NOW means 1 out of 3 persons who have been tested and reported has tested positive. This does not include self-administered at home test results which are not reported. A reminder to us all that the Omicron strain of COVID is 3x more transmissible than the two early strains.

In a sea of changing guidelines, we have been asked by many why people who have been vaccinated and boostered may still contract COVID-19. The facts are simple. A vaccination and booster have never been a guarantee you will not contract COVID-19. The vax/boost, along with continued masking, hand washing, and social distancing significantly reduce the risk and severity of getting COVID. Again, the Omicron variant transmits 2-3 times faster and reinfections occur at 5 times the rate of the prior strains.

Friends, these numbers are increasing exponentially each day. And we want to remind you of the facts reported since the onset of COVID. The long-term health effects of having COVID-19 are still not clearly understood, but “long haul syndrome” is still present among many who have had COVID.

We want to remind you that should your family member show ANY signs or symptoms of COVID-19 you will be notified at once by our nursing staff.

As we have done previously during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are going to publish a few frequently asked questions from families or other interested parties each day as they become available, and have current, relevant, and accurate information.

• If the COVID-19 outbreak is as serious as reported, why do you continue to allow visitors and families into the building or remove their loved ones for visits versus suspending visitation as you have done in the past?
  • The answer lies in new and revised guidance from the IDOH over the past months mandating that all long-term care facilities allow visitation and taking loved ones to and from the facility. During the initial alpha strain of COVID two years ago, the health and safety of our residents was in our hands. We were successful in mitigating significant risk, positive cases, and deaths at that time because we had the latitude to do what we knew would work in our facility.

• Are positive staff members transmitting COVID within Hubbard Hill?
  • According to our contact tracing, positive staff members have not contracted COVID at Hubbard. The positive cases thus far have been transmitted due to exposure outside of Hubbard with family, children, spouses, or friends who have presented symptoms are actually tested positive.

• How widespread is omicron?
  • In literal terms VERY. Positivity as reported in Elkhart County is 31.1% among those tests reported which do not include self-tests which would drive the number higher. This number far exceeds any previous COVID figures. The other mitigating element is the fact that unlike previous strains, omicron is touching ALL GENERATIONS. There are no age groups which are not contributing to the omicron outbreak.

We continue to respectfully ask that you adhere to all regulations which have been put in place by the Indiana Department of Health at Hubbard Hill. These directives are in place to keep our staff and residents safe, and our staff is committed to ensuring compliance. Please know they are simply doing their jobs to keep everyone safe and ask that you acknowledge and respect their responsibilities which they professionally carry out each day.

“This too, shall pass.
When things are bad, remember, it will not always be this way.
Take one day at a time.
When things are good, remember, it will not always be this way.
Enjoy every great moment.”

Unknown

January 12, 2021

We have had 1 staff member testing positive and is quarantined. Positivity rate for Elkhart County is 24.4%-this means 1 out of 4 persons who have been tested and reported has tested positive. This does not include self-administered at home test results which are not reported. A reminder to us all that the Omicron strain of COVID is 3x more transmissible than the two early strains.

In a sea of changing guidelines, we have been asked by many why people who have been vaccinated and boostered may still contract COVID-19. The facts are simple. A vaccination and booster have never been a guarantee you will not contract COVID. The vax/boost, along with continued masking, hand washing, and social distancing significantly reduce the risk and severity of getting COVID. Again, the Omicron variant transmits 2-3 times faster and reinfections reoccur at 5 times the rate of the prior strains.

Friends, these numbers are increasing exponentially each day. And we want to remind you of the facts reported since the onset of COVID. The long-term health effects of having COVID-19 are still not clearly understood, but “long haul syndrome” is still present among many who have had COVID.

Again, given these very alarming trends, caution family members from taking our most vulnerable population out of the facility and into the community. People in our community are still dying from COVID. Please do not let your guard down.

We want to remind you that should your family member show ANY signs or symptoms of COVID-19 you will be notified at once by our nursing staff.

We continue to respectfully ask that you adhere to all regulations which have been put in place by the Indiana Department of Health at Hubbard Hill. These directives are in place to keep our staff and residents safe, and our staff is committed to ensuring compliance. Please know they are simply doing their jobs to keep everyone safe and ask that you acknowledge and respect their responsibilities which they professionally carry out each day.

“The first step towards tolerance is respect and the first step toward respect is knowledge.”
Henry Louis Gates

January 11, 2021

We have had 1 new resident and 1 staff member testing positive and are quarantined. Positivity rate for Elkhart County is 24.4%-this means 1 out of 4 persons who have been tested and reported has tested positive. This does not include self-administered at home test results which are not reported. A reminder to us all that the Omicron strain of COVID is 3x more transmissible than the two early strains.

In a sea of changing guidelines, we have been asked by many why people who have been vaccinated and boostered may still contract COVID-19. The facts are simple. A vaccination and booster have never been a guarantee you will not contract COVID. The vax/boost, along with continued masking, hand washing, and social distancing significantly reduce the risk and severity of getting COVID. Again, the Omicron variant transmits 2-3 times faster and reinfections reoccur at 5 times the rate of the prior strains.

Friends, these numbers are increasing exponentially each day. And we want to remind you of the facts reported since the onset of COVID. The long-term health effects of having COVID-19 are still not clearly understood, but “long haul syndrome” is still present among many who have had COVID.

Again, given these very alarming trends, caution family members from taking our most vulnerable population out of the facility and into the community. People in our community are still dying from COVID. Please do not let your guard down.

We want to remind you that should your family member show ANY signs or symptoms of COVID-19 you will be notified at once by our nursing staff.

We continue to respectfully ask that you adhere to all regulations which have been put in place by the Indiana Department of Health at Hubbard Hill. These directives are in place to keep our staff and residents safe, and our staff is committed to ensuring compliance. Please know they are simply doing their jobs to keep everyone safe and ask that you acknowledge and respect their responsibilities which they professionally carry out each day.

“The first step towards tolerance is respect and the first step toward respect is knowledge.”
Henry Louis Gates

January 7, 2021

We have had 1 new resident testing positive and is quarantined.

We want to remind you that should your family member show ANY signs or symptoms of COVID-19 you will be notified at once by our nursing staff.

Likely, you have heard news reports of the CDC’s most recent directive on quarantine periods. While they have suggested 5 days may be an adequate quarantine window, there are still many unknowns about a suitable window to ensure you are not transmissible.

However, we take our direction from the Indiana Department of Health, and they continue to enforce a 10-day quarantine period for those testing positive for COVID. Additionally, if a staff member is aware they have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, they may continue to come to work if:

• They have shown no signs or symptoms and have been vaccinated.

We respectfully ask that you continue to adhere to all regulations which have been put in place by the Indiana Department of Health. These directives are in place to keep our staff and residents safe, and our staff is committed to ensuring compliance. Please know they are simply doing their jobs to keep everyone safe and ask that you acknowledge and respect their responsibilities which they professionally perform each day.

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Luke 6:37

January 5, 2022

We have had 1 new staff member testing positive and is quarantined.

We want to remind you that should your family member show ANY signs or symptoms of COVID-19 you will be notified at once by our nursing staff.

Likely, you have heard news reports of the CDC’s most recent directive on quarantine periods. While they have suggested 5 days may be an adequate quarantine window, there are still many unknowns about a suitable window to ensure you are not transmissible.

However, we take our direction from the Indiana Department of Health, and they continue to enforce a 10-day quarantine period for those testing positive for COVID. Additionally, if a staff member is aware they have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, they may continue to come to work if:

• They have shown no signs or symptoms and have been vaccinated.

We respectfully ask that you continue to adhere to all regulations which have been put in place by the Indiana Department of Health. These directives are in place to keep our staff and residents safe, and our staff is committed to ensuring compliance. Please know they are simply doing their jobs to keep everyone safe and ask that you acknowledge and respect their responsibilities which they professionally perform each day.

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Luke 6:37

January 4, 2022

We have had 3 new staff members testing positive. Each of these staff members has been quarantined in their homes.

Friends, we all knew the holidays were going to be challenging for both staff and residents, and it is being affirmed each day. It is important to note that most recently, residents testing positive have been those whose family members have taken them out of the facility and then returned. Again, we implore you to exercise extreme caution with this incredibly infectious COVID variant.

We want to remind you that should your family member show ANY signs or symptoms of COVID-19 you will be notified at once by our nursing staff.

Likely, you have heard news reports of the CDC’s most recent directive on quarantine periods. While they have suggested 5 days may be an adequate quarantine window, there are still many unknowns about a suitable window to ensure you are not transmissible.

However, we take our direction from the Indiana Department of Health, and they continue to enforce a 10-day quarantine period for those testing positive for COVID. Additionally, if a staff member is aware they have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, they may continue to come to work if:

• They have shown no signs or symptoms and have been vaccinated.

We respectfully ask that you continue to adhere to all regulations which have been put in place by the Indiana Department of Health. These directives are in place to keep our staff and residents safe, and our staff is committed to ensuring compliance. Please know they are simply doing their jobs to keep everyone safe and ask that you acknowledge and respect their responsibilities which they professionally perform each day.

A repost for those who may have missed this critical information:

Per the Indiana Department of Health:

• Studies have shown the Omicron variant is more infectious than the current Delta variant.
• Studies are underway to determine if the Omicron variant causes more severe illness; however, given its greater transmissibility, expected that a proportional number of people may require hospitalization.
• The Omicron variant has already become the dominant strain in the US in just a few weeks.
• COVID-19 vaccine booster doses are extremely important to supply full protection against Omicron.
• Booster doses are more effective at preventing infection, severe illness, and death when compared to people who completed a primary vaccine series but did not receive a booster dose.
• Individuals who have had a prior COVID-19 infection should get vaccinated; people previously infected who are later vaccinated have some of the highest levels of protection.
• Omicron has 50 mutations which is predicted to increase transmissibility. Studies show Omicron transmits 2-3x faster than the delta variant, reinfections occur at a 5x higher rate than delta.
• Countries including the United States, have reported that Omicron cases are increasing exponentially following the holidays.

We share your frustration. Today’s positivity rate (among those tested) is 14.7…that translates to 1 out of 6+ individuals in Elkhart County is testing positive. Consider that in your comings and goings…and be vigilant.

Regarding our residents, we are taking every precaution available to us to prevent the Omicron or any COVID variant from entering Hubbard. We are limited in our approved containment options, so we MUST rely on YOU! We need your help to protect our cherished residents!

• Please get vaccinated and/or boostered
• Continue to wear your masks
• Continue to wash your hands
• Continue to keep safe distance
• We will continue to screen everyone who enters the building for signs or symptoms of COVID-19

We are at our finest when we take care of each other.
- Katherine Center