Western cautions about COVID-19 surge, urges safe practices

Dear Western Community,

Western continues to rapidly respond to a recent surge in COVID-19 cases and strongly urges students and other members of our campus community, including faculty, staff and visitors, to continue observing safe practices.

The recent surge in positive cases among students is being monitored by the university’s Student Health Center and the Whatcom County Health Department (WCHD). This surge is now at 67 positive cases among WWU students, including students living in on-campus and off-campus housing. Of the 34 students from campus housing, many are isolating at their permanent family homes. The remainder are isolating in Western’s isolation and quarantine spaces.

The surge in cases include multiple exposures related to parties and many smaller social gatherings, such as birthday parties, that occurred the weeks of March 8 and March 15.

Students who are experiencing any COVID-like symptoms or have had a direct contact with a known COVID-positive person should contact Western’s Student Health Center at (360) 650-3400, where nurses can easily provide guidance and schedule COVID testing as needed.

Western’s COVID-19 surveillance testing clinic at Fraser Hall is open Monday – Thursday. Space is limited! Make your online appointment at studenthealth.wwu.edu/mywesternhealth. No walk-ins accepted. Appointments are first-come, first-served.

Western is working closely with the WCHD to continue contact tracing, as well as quarantining and isolating people as needed.

As COVID-19 vaccinations ramp up, after a long and difficult year during the pandemic, it is understandable that many of us are feeling pandemic fatigue and may be relaxing in observing COVID-19 safe practices. However, we must all work together even more now to protect our campus and other communities!

Wearing a face mask, washing hands frequently, practicing physical distancing, and gathering with no more than five people outside of your household, preferably outdoors, remain the best ways to protect against COVID-19 and its variant forms.

For more information on how to socialize safely, go to https://studenthealth.wwu.edu/socialize-safely.

Thank you for doing your part to keep Western safe!

Sincerely,

Dr. Sislena Grocer Ledbetter, executive director, Counseling Health and Wellness
Dr. David Hansen, associate medical director, Student Health Center

#BeWellWWU