New variant information, flying suggestions, flu shot/booster combos : Goats and Soda : NPR

That is the yr that the COVID-19 pandemic was declared to be not a worldwide well being emergency.

However regardless that case counts are down in 2023, it isn’t as if every little thing is again to regular. There may be, for instance, a brand new omicron variant that was first detected in late summer season and has unfold considerably in current weeks. It is referred to as JN.1, and well being officers have now categorized it as a variant of curiosity. And a often requested query is:

How frightened ought to we be about JN.1?

Well being officers aren’t sounding the alarm. The World Well being Group says the general threat is low.

Primarily based on the restricted proof, JN.1 appears akin to different circulating omicron variants and would not seem to trigger extra extreme illness.

COVID vaccines, together with the up to date booster, proceed to supply safety towards extreme sickness and dying. Within the U.S., hospital admissions for COVID-19 have been climbing since early November.

The massive questions, answered

There have been different urgent COVID questions in 2023. Listed below are a number of the matters we tackled, beginning with a quandary about this new section of the pandemic:

‘Emergency’ over! Can we unmask and grin? Or regulate our worries?

Is it OK to get a COVID shot and a flu shot and even an RSV shot on the similar time?

How do I keep away from catching COVID whereas flying in 2023?

Why do some folks get a COVID an infection but present no signs?

A number of posts from years previous drew a whole lot of readers in 2023 as properly:

Are you able to check constructive for COVID from getting a vaccine/booster?

Does a faint line on a self-test imply I am barely contagious?

Is paxlovid one of the best therapy?