WHO designates JN.1 as separate COVID-19 variant of interest PAHO/Flickr cc CIDRAP

Due to its rapid growth and potential to add to the respiratory virus burden in Northern Hemisphere countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) today designated JN.1, part of the BA.2.86 SARS-CoV-2 lineage, as its own variant of interest.

Over the past month, the proportion of JN.1 viruses has rapidly increased, rising from 3.3% in early November to 27.1% by early December. Countries reporting the highest proportions include France, the United States, Singapore, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

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3 million children lose Medicaid coverage Presented by CVS Health — Three million fewer kids have Medicaid coverage today compared to the end of the pandemic-era protections and beginning of the “unwinding” of coverage in April, according … emartin The Hill

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Texas and Florida alone account for more than 1 million of the children who have lost coverage. The total decline for adults and children due to the “unwinding” process is now at approximately 7.8 million, the analysis found. ...

What to Know About the JN.1 Variant of SARS-CoV-2 | Time

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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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Study shows long COVID worse for patients than 'long flu' wildpixel/ iStock CIDRAP

In the 18 months after a serious COVID-19 or seasonal influenza infection, patients are at a significant increased risk of death, hospital readmission, or health problems affecting a number of organs, though COVID patients are hit harder, according to a study published ...in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

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EU countries destroy €4B worth of COVID vaccines – POLITICO

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Long COVID played a role in thousands of deaths: CDC A new report from the CDC published early Wednesday found long COVID was the underlying or contributing cause of death for more than 3,500 Americans. ABC News ABC News

Results showed long COVID played a role in 3,544 deaths, with the condition listed as either an underlying or a contributing cause of death.