New and more contagious COVID strain found at University of Washington, school says

The new, more contagious variant of COVID-19 has circulated across western Washington and now has been detected at a college campus in Seattle, according to a notice sent out by the school.

The University of Washington’s Husky Coronavirus Testing program determined Monday that one of the college’s students contracted the B117, or “UK,” strain, the notice says. The variant is 30% to 50% more contagious than the strain that is already prevalent in the region, “meaning it takes less exposure to the virus to infect you,” according to the notice.

“It also means that a small number of cases in a community can more quickly turn into another wave of infections and the reinstatement of health restrictions,” the notice says.

The student’s positive result came from a late-January test sample. The student is recovering and out of their isolation period, though they came into contact with a small number of people who have been notified, according to the notice.

The university says this was not unexpected, considering the new variant was found in King County in late January after it surfaced in Pierce and Snohomish counties, a news release from Seattle and King County Public Health said.

Health experts are recommending that people take extra precautions to avoid spreading the highly contagious strain, including:

• Wear a multi-layer mask that fits well whenever you’re outside your home.

• Watch your distance, and avoid gatherings with people you don’t live with.

• Wash your hands regularly.

• Get vaccinated when you’re eligible.

“The coronavirus spreads when we let our guard down, and this new variant is even better at taking advantage of our lapses,” the notice says. “We’re all fatigued, but we can control the virus and get back to a more normal way of living and learning if we stay on our guard and each continue to do our part.”

This story was originally published February 10, 2021 at 3:05 PM with the headline "New and more contagious COVID strain found at University of Washington, school says."