"Unraveling the Latest COVID Variants: JN.1, HV.1, and Pirola - What You Must Know"

The JN.1 variant, a descendant of the Omicron variant, has been flagged in a CDC report and is emerging in Europe and the US. It differs from its predecessor, the BA.2.86 variant, by a single mutation in the spike protein. While JN.1 is not widespread, it has been detected in 12 countries and is increasing in frequency in France. Symptoms are similar to previous variants, and updated COVID-19 vaccines are expected to block it. Vaccination is recommended for best protection against new variants.