Gov. Inslee issues travel restrictions over new virus strain

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Gov. Jay Inslee announced new travel restrictions for people arriving from the United Kingdom and South Africa reporting the circulation of a new and seemingly more contagious strain of the coronavirus.

Inslee said Washington is not taking any chances with the new variant because if it spreads from the airport and into the state, hospitals could soon become overwhelmed like what has happened in London.

Inslee said Monday he would issue a proclamation requiring passengers who arrive from the United Kingdom or South Africa to quarantine for 14 days including passengers who have arrived from those countries in the past few days.

The proclamation is a legal requirement to quarantine and not just a recommendation.

Washington’s governor on Monday joined a growing list of mostly countries from Canada to India in restricting travel from Britain.

Infectious disease experts at the University of Washington said it’s normal for viruses to mutate. Sometimes a single virus can have more than 1,000 different strains.

“You’re going to start to see that spread quickly because you know that’s just what viruses do when they have a new mutant,” said Dr. Deborah Fuller of UW Medicine.

That aside, leaders at UW Medicine said the new variant must be taken seriously as there’s evidence that this particular mutation is more contagious.

Experts said the early evidence indicates the strain is not more deadly, and expressed confidence that the vaccines being given will be effective against it.

Cox Media Group