United States: During this season of COVID-19, everyone is opting for at-home COVID-19 screening as it is quick and convenient; however, a warning has been issued by health officials.
The local health authorities have outlined that these tests could be invaluable in detecting the infections and may become less reliable as the new variant of COVID-19 – JN.1 has emerged.
If not the COVID-19 home screen, then what?
As the cases related to respiratory illnesses have been increasing with decreasing temperature, a new concern has been raised regarding navigating testing.
The concerns have been raised after health experts issued additional insights due to the evolving nature of the virus, which has been making a large chunk of people sick, according to the reports by the San Francisco Chronicle.
What experts have to say?
An infectious disease expert at UCSF – Peter Chin-Hong, raised concern because, currently, an individual has been testing positive within three days of exposure – the timespan was five days earlier in the pandemic. Amid this, the home testing kits are not detecting the variant due to its mutations.
Following the reports, healthcare workers and medical experts are concerned because the individuals might think that they are negative after COVID-19 home testing, but they might be infected with the JN.1 variant of the virus.
For the newest versions of the virus, experts suggested getting tested about three days after individuals might have caught COVID. If the test says they are okay, keep doing tests every day or two until the sixth day. By then, they should have a definite answer.
In addition to this, experts suggested opting for molecular laboratory tests, such as PCR, which are known to be more accurate and sensitive. However, the infected person has to visit a clinic, which can be costly.
Mask mandates!
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have been advising the general public to wear a high-quality mask when visiting a crowded region or staying at home to reduce the risk of spreading germs.
Vaccines – effective way to stay safe!
The authorities have also asked to stay up-to-date with the vaccination shots as it is crucial as the nation has been dealing with an upsurge of respiratory illness.
While addressing this concern, a UCSF immunologist and investigator at the Gladstone Institutes – Nadia Roan, stated, “Given that hospitalizations are rising here because of holiday gatherings and decreased (waning) immunity, it is a good idea to take the usual precautions. We have a pretty big toolbox now compared to the beginning of the pandemic. They all work,” as per the San Francisco Chronicle.
JN.1 is responsible for the majority of COVID cases
According to the health authorities, as many as 62 percent of COVID-19 cases in the United States are because of the JN.1 variant – this data shows a significant jump in a period of 30 days. Reportedly, the cases have jumped from just 21 percent to more than half of the cases.
Are the symptoms of JN.1 similar to other variants?
The health experts have mentioned there are subtle changes in the symptoms shown by JN.1 as compared to other variants, including anxiety and insomnia, as well as a strong impact on the lungs. However, the common symptoms of the variant are cough, congestion, and a sore throat.
In addition to this, medical experts have also warned about asymptomatic infection.