Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Bulletin Page

December 8, 2023, 11:45 AM EDT

What CDC knows

JN.1, a variant of the virus that causes COVID-19, is a closely related offshoot of the variant BA.2.86 that CDC has been tracking since August. JN.1 is currently projected to comprise 15-29% of circulating variants and continues to grow quickly compared with other variants. Its continued growth suggests that it is either more transmissible or better at evading our immune systems. At this time, there is no evidence that JN.1 presents an increased risk to public health relative to other currently circulating variants, and CDC is closely monitoring COVID-19 activity and JN.1 spread. The increase of this variant does not alter CDC's COVID-19 recommendations, meaning that vaccines, tests, and treatments continue to work well against JN.1.

What CDC is doing

CDC will continue to track JN.1 and other variants, working closely with partners around the world, to provide the latest information. It's a great time to get an updated COVID-19 vaccine if you haven't already had one this fall, since infections are likely to increase in the coming weeks, as they tend to do this time of year regardless of variant.

Keep reading:

CDC is tracking a SARS-CoV-2 variant called JN.1 and working to better understand its potential impact on public health. This update follows CDC's most recent variant update on November 27, 2023.

Find more information about virus trends in your area and tips to help you stay healthy during the holidays.