An American fitness company has unveiled a new Covid variant called JN. 1. Scientists worry that JN. 1 is possibly more contagious and even immune to vaccines.
The JN. 1 strain was most recently detected in the United States in September and has now been discovered in 11 other countries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
What is the JN. 1 strain?
The JN. 1 strain is a descendant of the Covid BA. 2. 86 variant, also known as Pirola, which originated in Omicron. According to the CDC, BA. 2. 86 has a total of 20 mutations in the spike protein, which is concerning because viruses use spike proteins to attach to host cells.
The fitness company explained that there is only one replacement between JN. 1 and BA. 2. 86 in the spike protein. “For this reason, the spike protein is also a component of a virus that vaccines target, which means that vaccines act in the same way. unlike JN. 1 and BA. 2. 86. For example, early clinical data shows that updated COVID-19 vaccines for 2023-2024 help our immune formula blocks BA. 2. 86. We expect JN. 1 to be similar,” the CDC wrote in the last week of October.
The firm added that while new variants such as BA. 2. 86 and JN. 1 are attracting attention, currently, 99% of SARS-CoV-2 variants are part of the Omicron variant’s XBB organization. And JN. 1 accounts for less than 0. 1% of the SARS-CoV-2 variant.