That is the 12 months that the COVID-19 pandemic was declared to be now not a worldwide well being emergency.
However though case counts are down in 2023, it isn’t as if every part is again to regular. There’s, for instance, a brand new variant new Omicron variant that was first detected in late summer time and hs unfold considerably in current weeks. It is known as JN.1, and well being officers have now categorised it as a variant of curiosity. And a regularly requested query is:
How apprehensive 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 does not seem to trigger extra extreme illness. COVID vaccines, together with the up to date booster, proceed to supply safety towards extreme sickness and loss of life. Within the U.S., hospital admissions for COVID-19 have been climbing since early November.
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 part of the pandemic:
’Emergency’ over! Will we unmask and grin? Or alter our worries?
Is it OK to get a COVID shot and a flu shot and even an RSV shot on the identical 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 number of readers in 2023 as properly:
Are you able to take a look at optimistic for COVID from getting a vaccine/booster?
Does a faint line on a self-test imply I am barely contagious?