The JN.1 Covid variant has brought new challenges and changes in the symptomatology of the disease, with a notable impact on mental health. Found in various countries including India, China, the UK, and the United States, JN.1, a sub-variant of Omicron, has been classified as a "variant of interest" by the World Health Organization due to its rapidly increasing spread.
According to The Sun, The UK Health Security Agency reports that JN.1 accounts for about seven percent of positive Covid tests analyzed in laboratories. While some of the most common symptoms like a runny nose and cough persist, the once tell-tale sign of loss of taste and smell is now reported by only two to three percent of infected individuals in the UK. Similarly, fever, previously a more common symptom, was experienced by only two percent.
Surprising New Symptom
A new symptom, anxiety, has been consistently reported by almost ten percent of Brits with Covid since early November, according to the winter Covid report from the Office For National Statistics in the UK. This symptom, along with trouble sleeping and excess worrying, suggests a shift in how the virus affects individuals.
The most common symptoms of infection with the JN.1 variant include a runny nose (31 percent), cough (23 percent), headache (20 percent), weakness and fatigue (nearly 20 percent), muscle aches (16 percent), and sore throat (13 percent).
Experts attribute the shift in symptoms to waning immunity and the virus's evolution. Prof Peter Openshaw from Imperial College London emphasized that immunity decreases over time, and for many, it has been over a year since their last booster jabs. The virus's ability to transmit from person to person and evade immunity from infection and vaccination has also evolved.
It's important to note that Covid is now less virulent and dangerous than in 2020, with infections tending to be milder and lower impact in terms of hospitalizations and death rates, as noted by Dr. Phil Gould of Coventry University.
The eight most common Covid symptoms currently are runny nose, cough, headache, weakness or tiredness, muscle ache, sore throat, trouble sleeping, and worry or anxiety. This information, sourced from the ONS, highlights the evolving nature of the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on public health.
