COVID's Potential Shift to the Gut: Scientists Debate Surging Virus Detections
Scientists are considering the possibility that COVID-19 may be targeting the gut, as surging cases of the virus have been detected in wastewater. Traditionally, COVID-19 infects people through the nose and mouth, but some virologists believe the virus has altered its requirements for entering cells, making it easier to infect the gut. The newly dominant JN.1 variant of COVID-19 is suspected to be more gut-focused, although there is no direct evidence yet. Wastewater surveillance has shown an increase in the virus, and the variant is both more infectious and more able to evade the immune system. However, there is no evidence that it causes more severe illness than other variants.