Ann Arbor residents worried about the spread of new COVID variant

U of M campus takes necessary precautions amid new COVID variant cases.

Washtenaw County residents are on high alert after new COVID 19 variant cases are confirmed.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - There have been 5 confirmed cases of the new B117 COVID variant in Washtenaw County, and Ann Arbor residents say they are worried.

"That's a little scary, I think, cause we are still at a point in the semester where people are still coming back from all around, so we are still growing in population, so it's a little worrisome, " says one University of Michigan student.

Medical experts say the new COVID variant is much more contagious than the strains we saw last spring and fall.

The University of Michigan announced that it would be suspending all athletics for two weeks after a student tested positive for the new COVID variant.

The Michigan National Guard has announced that it will deploy members to support vaccination sites and testing centers in Southwest Michigan.

Medical professional say now is the time to double down on all precautions necessary to stop the spread of the virus.