Masked Identity: A new strain of COVID – JN.1- that is more difficult to identify has recently emerged and caused a steep incline in hospitalizations

*names changed to protect identity

A new COVID strain called JN.1 is on the rise this 2024, and it is currently the most dominant variant causing 86% of cases. Hospitalizations in the United States due to COVID have increased to around 35,000 during the week of Jan. 6, compared to the 23,000 weekly hospitalizations in early December, according to the Center for Disease Control.

This new strain was discovered in August 2023, but wasn’t affecting many individuals until September when the rate of overall COVID test positivity began gradually increasing. The rate was 15% in September, but with the recent strains like JN.1 emerging, the rate has now risen to 18%, according to the CDC.

During the beginning of December, the amount of deaths by the JN.1 and other strains like HV.1, JD.1.1, and BA.2.86, was around 2,000 per week and now the number of deaths due to the virus has risen to 3,000 per week in January. 

Despite the amount of cases and deaths rising, according to Dr. Sarah James*, a local infectious disease doctor, this could just be a trend due to the recent holidays. “The numbers right now are actually a little bit lower than they were in the beginning of January,” James said. “That might just be because that was a little peak from the holidays, and respiratory viruses follow.”

According to James, the disease has been adapting to grow faster since September 2023. There isn’t an easy way to tell the different strains apart because they are so similar; every strain has just a slight variation in the composition of the virus. The primary distinction is the rate at which they spread.

“The fact that it spreads fast can be dangerous,” James said. “Anytime a virus like that mutates, they call it novel or new, so if the community doesn’t have a lot of immunity to it, then it can be more dangerous.”

The JN.1 variant doesn’t pose any more of a threat than the other strains according to James. The specific types of people JN.1 is most dangerous towards include infants, the immunocompromised, and ages 65 and up, similar to any other virus. 

The symptoms of JN.1 are similar to any other respiratory virus — a sore throat, runny nose, congestion, fever, chills and body aches.

English teacher Ann Flurry had COVID the week of Jan. 22, when JN.1 was causing most cases. Her symptoms negatively progressed over the week, and they continued for the next few days after she came back to school.

“My first symptoms just seemed like a cold but they quickly got worse like a really bad cold,” Flurry said. “The difference was I had extreme body aches and my eyes hurt.”

English teacher Amy Andersen had COVID the week of finals in December, when JN.1 was causing numerous cases. Andersen experienced clogged and irritated sinuses, and additionally had lingering congestion for about a week later. 

“Thankfully, it never went below [my] chest,” Andersen said. “It was all congestion, and inflamed sinuses.” 

The protocol for the new strain is still the same as it has been for other COVID strains: quarantine for five days after testing positive, then re-engage in school, work and other activities. James advises wearing a mask for another five days even after testing negative.

Senior Rosemary Comes found out she had the COVID on Jan. 21 and returned to school three days later after testing negative. Comes followed the current COVID protocol, to stay home until she no longer had symptoms. 

If the affected individual has previously had COVID then antibodies are built up, but that doesn’t necessarily guarantee not getting it again. Being vaccinated normally helps reduce the risk of contracting the virus by around 30%, according to James. However, Flurry, Andersen, and Comes were all vaccinated before they got COVID, and even so it resulted in them getting the virus. 

More preventative measures include keeping hands clean especially after touching high-traffic surfaces, according to James. Another precaution is staying away from anyone with cold-like symptoms because that is the easiest way to catch any virus. School nurse Stephanie Ptacek advises students who have symptoms to do their part and avoid being around others who aren’t sick.

“[Students] should protect themselves from COVID the same way you would protect yourself from other infectious diseases,” Ptacek said. “Handwashing, avoiding people when you are sick, masking if you are sick if you’re up for it.”