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

However despite the fact that case counts are down in 2023, it isn’t as if every thing is again to regular. There may be, for instance, a brand new omicron variant that was first detected in late summer time and has unfold considerably in current weeks. It is referred to as JN.1, and well being officers have now categorized it as a variant of curiosity. And a regularly requested query is:

How apprehensive ought to we be about JN.1?

Well being officers should not sounding the alarm. The World Well being Group says the general danger is low.

Based mostly on the restricted proof, JN.1 appears similar to different circulating omicron variants and would 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. Within 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. Listed below are among the subjects we tackled, beginning with a quandary about this new section of the pandemic:

‘Emergency’ over! Will we unmask and grin? Or regulate our worries?

Is it OK to get a COVID shot and a flu shot and even an RSV shot on the similar 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 couple of posts from years previous drew loads of readers in 2023 as nicely:

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?

Is paxlovid one of the best remedy?