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Law360 (March 6, 2020, 9:05 PM EST ) A first-year University of Washington School of Law student with symptoms consistent with COVID-19, the new coronavirus, has self-quarantined themselves based on the advice of their doctor, the university confirmed Friday.
The law school notified students via email about the situation and said that the student in question did not warrant testing under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, but was advised to self-quarantine by their health care team and will stay out of public for 14 days.
The news comes at the same time that the University of Washington has decided to hold all classes remotely, beginning March 9, in order to lower the risk of transmission to students. The university's main campus is in Seattle, where 51 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed, according to King County public health officials.
"Our focus remains keeping this community healthy as we fulfill our important educational, research and service mission," university President Ana Mari Cauce said in an announcement to students. "Evolving public health recommendations indicate our best course of action is to take additional social-distancing steps to support the region's efforts against this outbreak and conclude this quarter in an orderly and cohesive way for you and your instructors."
The university said that its campus, including dorms and dining halls, will remain open but that students will attend classes remotely until the end of the quarter. The university currently plans to reopen at the start of the new quarter on March 30.
COVID-19 originated in Wuhan, China, and has since spread to 90 countries and territories, according to the World Health Organization. In the U.S., most cases have been on the West Coast, but on the other side of the country, 33 cases have also been confirmed in New York, including eight cases that New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said on Thursday were linked to an attorney who was diagnosed with the virus earlier this week.
The spread of the virus has caused upheaval in the stock market and has also had an impact on the legal community, with many firms taking precautions ranging from travel restrictions to canceled events.
Some firms have also seized the opportunity to launch special task forces to help clients navigate legal issues that might arise as a result of the virus.
--Editing by Jay Jackson Jr.
For a reprint of this article, please contact reprints@law360.com.
