CDC projects that the variant JN.1 comprises an estimated 21% of COVID cases in the United States as of December 8, 2023.  JN.1  has an additional spike protein mutation that could potentially make it harder for the body to fight off an infection. However, the CDC has said that there’s been no indication that it causes more severe disease than other circulating variants.  But for the 92%  percent of Americans who have not received the latest vaccine, their body isn’t able to fend off more severe infections from the virus.   If they do get a more sever infection, treatments with Paxlovid are expected to be effective.

But latest versions of the available vaccines appear to protect against severe cases. For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/respirator...-2-variant-JN.1.html