Amidst the growing fear of sub-variant JN.1 of Covid-19, former Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Soumya Swaminathan has said that there is no need to panic at the moment because it is a variant of interest, not of concern. No. However, he expressed the need to remain alert by taking appropriate precautionary measures.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, former director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said, “We need to be cautious but not worried because we have no data to suggest that Is the JN.1 variant more serious or is it going to cause more pneumonia and deaths?
‘General preventive measures have to be taken’
The doctor said to try the usual preventive measures that we are all familiar with now. “We were familiar with Omicron, so it’s the same family,” he said. So not much has changed but 1 or 2 new mutations have emerged and that is why I think WHO has said that they are keeping an eye on it. This is a type of interest, not a type of concern.
How to take care?
Soumya Swaminathan said that without a mask, avoid being in a very closed environment with very poor ventilation with infected people because the risk of infection increases with prolonged contact with an infected person. Avoid crowding and try to stay in open spaces. “If you have any warning symptoms and signs, such as severe fatigue, prolonged fever or shortness of breath, go to the hospital,” he said.
Regarding hospitalizations due to COVID, he said, “The number of cases is increasing and there is always a small percentage of people who need to be hospitalized.”
He said, “We have to understand that other respiratory infections are now spreading in winter and hence these precautions will help us protect ourselves from all infections against influenza and common cold so that we can stay healthy.”
How many cases of JN.1 variant were reported in India?
So far, 21 cases of JN.1 Covid variant have been confirmed in India, which has attracted the attention and concern of the entire country. WHO recently classified JN.1 as a variant of interest, which is different from its parent lineage BA.2.86.
However, WHO stressed that the risk posed by JN.1 is low based on current evidence. Meanwhile, according to the data of the Union Health Ministry, 594 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in India on Thursday (December 21).