As of Jan. 9, California has followed Oregon in establishing a policy breaking away from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. This policy allows people to resume their normal lives and go back to school or work even if they have COVID symptoms, as long the symptoms are “mild and improving,” according to USA Today. With the CDC guidelines no longer in place, it will be much easier for people to get sick, as there is now less emphasis on staying safe and protecting yourself.
There has recently been a rise in cases of illnesses such as COVID-19 and RSV, according to the CDC. More specifically, a new strain of COVID-19 called JN.1 has been on the rise, and it is currently the most widely circulating variant in the US, according to Yale Medicine.
According to Max Healthcare, the JN.1 variant is the “latest mutation” of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and a subvariant of Omicron, another COVID-19 variant.
First identified in September 2023, the number of COVID cases JN.1 has accounted for has increased exponentially, starting from 3.5% of cases in mid-November, to a little over 21% in December, and eventually to over 60% of cases in January 2024, according to the CDC. Because of its potential impact on the COVID-19 pandemic in many parts of the world, the World Health Organization has classified it as a “variant of interest,” according to maxhealthcare.in.
JN.1 is similar to most other variants in that it causes the same symptoms: sore throat, congestion and runny nose, fevers, chills, cough, and fatigue, according to Everyday Health. The severity of these symptoms varies, depending on a person’s immune system and how healthy they are.
As JN.1 symptoms are similar to the symptoms of other variants, protecting yourself will be no different from what was emphasized during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccines are available to boost your immune system and protect your body so that you don’t get seriously sick. As new vaccines become available, they will not only be effective in protecting against JN.1, but other variants as well.
Additionally, wearing a mask is always effective, as it stops potential virus particles from spreading or entering your body through your nose or mouth. Getting enough sleep is also an effective way to protect yourself, as it helps in boosting your immune system, reducing your risk of getting sick.
Considering how rapidly it is spreading, the only difference between JN.1 and other variants is that this variant could be more transmissible or better at evading the immune system, according to the CDC.
Based on this idea and the fact that JN.1 is currently accountable for most COVID cases, it is likely that the variant will be a common cause of illnesses this season.