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Hold onto your hats—a new variant of COVID-19 is on the rise just in time for the holiday season. JN.1, a variant of omicron, is now causing an estimated 21% of new infections in the United States, and the numbers are climbing.
Just a few days ago, the cases of JN.1 infections were only at 8% in late November. However, by December 9, those numbers doubled according to the CDC data.
While this sudden surge isn’t necessarily a cause for panic, it has caught the attention of international health experts.
So, what is JN.1 and what do you need to know about it? Read on to find out.
What is JN.1?
The JN.1 variant is closely related to another omicron subvariant named BA.2.86, according to the CDC.
As of September, the CDC reported that JN.1 was first detected as its own variant in the United States and has since been spotted in 11 other countries.
While the numbers were initially low at 0.1% in October, they have multiplied significantly since then.
The CDC stated that the continued growth of JN.1 could mean that it is either more transmissible or better at evading human immune systems. This change to the spike protein could make the virus more dangerous than previous variants.
Now classified by the World Health Organization as its own variant, JN.1 has the potential to worsen the burden of respiratory infections, especially with the onset of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
Does the updated COVID booster protect against JN.1?
According to the CDC, the updated COVID-19 booster shot should provide protection against the JN.1 variant. The vaccines are designed to target the spike protein of the virus, and therefore should be effective against JN.1 and BA.2.86, similar to previous variants.
Furthermore, treatments and testing are expected to remain effective against JN.1 as they were against prior variants.
Despite this, a large number of Americans have chosen to forego the most recent COVID-19 booster shot, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration and recommended by the CDC in September.
