This is the 12 months that the COVID-19 pandemic was declared to be now not a world well being emergency.

But although case counts are down in 2023, it is not as if all the things is again to regular. There is, for instance, a brand new variant that was first detected in late summer season and has unfold considerably in latest weeks. It’s referred to as JN.1, and well being officers have now labeled it as a variant of curiosity. And a continuously requested query is:

How anxious ought to we be about JN.1?

Health officers will not be sounding the alarm. The World Health Organization says the general threat is low.

Based on the restricted proof, JN.1 appears corresponding 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 dying. In 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. Here are a few of the subjects we tackled, beginning with a quandary about this new section of the pandemic:

‘Emergency’ over! Do we unmask and grin? Or adjust our worries?

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

How do I avoid catching COVID while flying in 2023?

Why do some people get a COVID infection yet show no symptoms?

Just a few posts from years previous drew loads of readers in 2023 as nicely:

Can you test positive for COVID from getting a vaccine/booster?

Does a faint line on a self-test mean I’m barely contagious?

Is paxlovid the best treatment?