A virus like this one has a lot of different names because it is changing constantly, and scientists need a common language to talk about a specific version that they’re seeing in a particular community or that they’re working with to develop treatments, vaccines and tests.
The fact that JN.1 is responsible for a growing portion of infections suggests it is either more contagious or better at getting past our bodies’ immune defenses than previous iterations of the virus, the CDC says. But there is no evidence that it causes more severe disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) has not labeled JN.1 a variant of concern—that is, a new strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus with potential for increased severity; decreased vaccine effectiveness; or substantial impacts on health care delivery.
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