WHO Charts Rapid Global Spread of COVID-19 JN.1 Variant

story
Image copyright: Scott Olson/Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Facts

  • The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the COVID Omicron subvariant JN.1 as a "variant of interest" as it continues to monitor its rapid spread across the globe — including in India, China, the UK, and the US.

  • After reviewing the available data, the WHO determined "the additional global public health risk posed by JN.1 is currently evaluated as low" but "with the onset of winter in the Northern Hemisphere" it could increase the prominence of respiratory infections there.

Show more

The Spin

Narrative A

This new COVID subvariant has a low mortality rate and shouldn't be a cause for panic. Even so, individuals and public health officials must remain vigilant and follow all recommended precautions and protocols that have been practiced repeatedly since the onset of COVID to prevent a wider spread that could affect vulnerable communities.

The Hansindia

Narrative B

A large swath of the world’s population is treating COVID as though it's the common cold. But it can still be very real and very dangerous because individuals run the risk of repeat COVID infections and multiple infections at the same time — not to mention possible long-term complications. This presents a risk of severe disease to a large portion of the global population and changes the outlook for seasonal infections.

Cleveland Clinic

Metaculus Prediction