Where was the new COVID-19 variant found?
On December 8, a new variant of COVID-19 called JN.1 was reported in Kerala. After that, more people in the state got sick with the virus. This new variant has also been found in countries like the USA and China.
The health minister of Kerala, Ms. Veena George, says we don't need to worry too much about this new type. She explains that it's already present in other parts of India and was even found in a few Indians who were checked at the Singapore airport a few months ago.
What is the current status of COVID-19 in the country?
At the time of writing this article, there were 1296 people with COVID-19 in India. In Kerala, 111 new cases were reported, and seven people died in Kerala, UP, and Karnataka.
The Health Ministry has given the country about 220 crore vaccine doses, as per the CoWIN website. Rajiv Jayadevan, from the Indian National Medical Association Covid Task Force, says the new variant spreads fast and can also affect people who had COVID before or got vaccinated.
Even though it spreads quickly, the JN.1 variant doesn't make people very sick, and few end up in the hospital. Plus, getting vaccines and supportive treatments can help lower the chance of getting very sick.
What should be done to protect yourself against COVID-19?
The Health Ministry told all the States to keep an eye on and report cases where people have flu-like symptoms or serious breathing problems in hospitals. They also asked to make sure there are enough tools for COVID tests in all areas.
In Karnataka, the health minister, Dinesh Gundu Rao, has asked elderly people and those with other health problems to wear masks. We should also follow some basic steps to stay safe, like keeping some distance from others, washing hands, etc. If you or someone you know hasn't gotten the COVID-19 vaccine yet, now is a good time to do it.
