For a third season, COVID-19 cases are rising ahead of the holidays, this time with a more recent variant driving infections.
Cases of JN. 1 infections rose from just more than 8% at the end of November to double digits by Dec. 9, according to CDC data.
International health experts say the sudden jump isn’t cause for concern—yet.
Here’s what you need to know:
What is JN.1?
The JN.1 variant is closely related to another omicron subvariant named BA.2.86, according to the CDC.
Health officials started tracking BA.2.86 in August but noticed some cases had a single change to the spike protein, the part of a virus that penetrates host cells to cause infection, according to the CDC.
JN.1 was first detected as its own variant in the United States in September, the CDC reported, and has since been identified in 11 countries.
The variant made up just 0.1% of cases at the end of October, according to CDC data, but that number has now increased exponentially.
“The continued growth of JN.1 suggests that it is either more transmissible or better at evading our immune systems,” the CDC said at the beginning of December.
This means the change to the spike protein may make it easier for the virus to get into cells than previous variants or make it harder for human immune systems to identify the virus as COVID-19.
International health experts also noted the trend, with JN.1 officially classified as its own variant by the World Health Organization on Dec. 19.
“Based on the available evidence, the additional global public health risk posed by JN.1 is currently evaluated as low,” the WHO said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Despite this, with the onset of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, JN.1 could increase the burden of respiratory infections in many countries.”
Does the updated COVID booster protect against JN.1?
The CDC says the JN.1 variant is closely related enough to previous variants that the updated COVID-19 booster shot will provide protection.
“The spike protein—called a ‘spike’ because it looks like tiny spikes on the virus’ surface—plays a crucial role in helping the virus infect people. Because of this, the spike protein is also the part of the virus that vaccines target, meaning vaccines should work against JN.1 and BA.2.86 similarly,” the CDC said.
The agency continued by saying it expects “treatments and testing to remain effective” against JN.1, in line with previous variants.
The most recent COVID-19 booster was approved by the Food and Drug Administration and then recommended by the CDC in September, but a large number of Americans have opted out of the shot.
Do I need the new COVID booster?
The vaccine is recommended for everyone over the age of six months, regardless of previous vaccine status, the CDC says.
Despite this, fewer and fewer Americans are adding the shot to their regular seasonal vaccines, like the flu shot.
By the middle of November, only 36 million adults and 3.5 million children had received the latest shot, equivalent to about 14% of the American public, ABC News reported.
That’s compared to the nearly 70% of Americans who completed the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines, McClatchy News reported.
Cases of JN.1 have seen some of the highest increases in Midwestern states, CDC data shows, correlating with a pocket of the U.S. that has been particularly hesitant to get the new shot.
Ahead of the holidays, the CDC reiterated the vaccine, masking and keeping your distance when you might be sick are still the most effective ways to prevent a COVID-19 infection and prevent its spread.
The agency said this also extends to other respiratory illnesses making the rounds this season.
“Many viruses spread more during the holiday season, so it is important to get all recommended vaccines, including flu, COVID-19 and RSV, as soon as possible,” the CDC said. “This will give you the best protection against these respiratory diseases, including while traveling and gathering with family and friends. These vaccines will also make your illness less severe if you do get sick.”
News
Study Shows Brain Signals Only Matter if They Arrive on Time
Signals are processed only if they reach the brain during brief receptive cycles. This timing mechanism explains how attention filters information and may inform therapies and brain-inspired technologies. It has long been recognized that [...]
Does Space-Time Really Exist?
Is time something that flows — or just an illusion? Exploring space-time as either a fixed “block universe” or a dynamic fabric reveals deeper mysteries about existence, change, and the very nature of reality. [...]
Unlocking hidden soil microbes for new antibiotics
Most bacteria cannot be cultured in the lab-and that's been bad news for medicine. Many of our frontline antibiotics originated from microbes, yet as antibiotic resistance spreads and drug pipelines run dry, the soil [...]
By working together, cells can extend their senses beyond their direct environment
The story of the princess and the pea evokes an image of a highly sensitive young royal woman so refined, she can sense a pea under a stack of mattresses. When it comes to [...]
Overworked Brain Cells May Hold the Key to Parkinson’s
Scientists at Gladstone Institutes uncovered a surprising reason why dopamine-producing neurons, crucial for smooth body movements, die in Parkinson’s disease. In mice, when these neurons were kept overactive for weeks, they began to falter, [...]
Old tires find new life: Rubber particles strengthen superhydrophobic coatings against corrosion
Development of highly robust superhydrophobic anti-corrosion coating using recycled tire rubber particles. Superhydrophobic materials offer a strategy for developing marine anti-corrosion materials due to their low solid-liquid contact area and low surface energy. However, [...]
This implant could soon allow you to read minds
Mind reading: Long a science fiction fantasy, today an increasingly concrete scientific goal. Researchers at Stanford University have succeeded in decoding internal language in real time thanks to a brain implant and artificial intelligence. [...]
A New Weapon Against Cancer: Cold Plasma Destroys Hidden Tumor Cells
Cold plasma penetrates deep into tumors and attacks cancer cells. Short-lived molecules were identified as key drivers. Scientists at the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), working with colleagues from Greifswald University Hospital and [...]
This Common Sleep Aid May Also Protect Your Brain From Alzheimer’s
Lemborexant and similar sleep medications show potential for treating tau-related disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis shows that a commonly used sleep medication can restore normal sleep patterns and [...]
Sugar-Coated Nanoparticles Boost Cancer Drug Efficacy
A team of researchers at the University of Mississippi has discovered that coating cancer treatment carrying nanoparticles in a sugar-like material increases their treatment efficacy. They reported their findings in Advanced Healthcare Materials. Over a tenth of breast [...]
Nanoparticle-Based Vaccine Shows Promise in Fighting Cancer
In a study published in OncoImmunology, researchers from the German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University have created a therapeutic vaccine that mobilizes the immune system to target cancer cells. The researchers demonstrated that virus peptides combined [...]
Quantitative imaging method reveals how cells rapidly sort and transport lipids
Lipids are difficult to detect with light microscopy. Using a new chemical labeling strategy, a Dresden-based team led by André Nadler at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) and [...]
Ancient DNA reveals cause of world’s first recorded pandemic
Scientists have confirmed that the Justinian Plague, the world’s first recorded pandemic, was caused by Yersinia pestis, the same bacterium behind the Black Death. Dating back some 1,500 years and long described in historical texts but [...]
“AI Is Not Intelligent at All” – Expert Warns of Worldwide Threat to Human Dignity
Opaque AI systems risk undermining human rights and dignity. Global cooperation is needed to ensure protection. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has changed how people interact, but it also poses a global risk to human [...]
Nanomotors: Where Are They Now?
First introduced in 2004, nanomotors have steadily advanced from a scientific curiosity to a practical technology with wide-ranging applications. This article explores the key developments, recent innovations, and major uses of nanomotors today. A [...]
Study Finds 95% of Tested Beers Contain Toxic “Forever Chemicals”
Researchers found PFAS in 95% of tested beers, with the highest levels linked to contaminated local water sources. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), better known as forever chemicals, are gaining notoriety for their ability [...]
