On Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated the JN.1 coronavirus strain as a “variant of interest,” stating that current evidence indicates a low risk to public health from this strain.
According to information from at least two experts shared with Reuters, although the JN.1 strain has the ability to evade the immune system and is more transmissible than other currently circulating variants, there is no evidence of it causing more severe disease.
Andrew Pekosz, a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, emphasized that while there may be more cases involving the JN.1 variant, it does not pose a greater risk.
Initially part of the parent lineage BA.2.86, JN.1 was previously classified as a variant of interest. However, the WHO has now recognized it as a separate variant of interest.
The WHO reassured that existing vaccines will continue to offer protection against severe disease and death caused by JN.1 and other circulating variants of the COVID-19 virus.
In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported earlier this month that the JN.1 subvariant accounts for an estimated 15% to 29% of cases as of December 8. The CDC clarified that there is currently no evidence suggesting that JN.1 poses an increased risk to public health compared to other circulating variants. Additionally, the CDC indicated that an updated vaccine shot could maintain protection against the JN.1 variant.
JN.1 was first identified in the United States in September, according to the CDC. Last week, China reported seven infections of the COVID subvariant.
