A new COVID strain called JN1 makes up 77% of variants found in wastewater data released by the City of Boise. JN1 does not appear to cause more acute illness than any other COVID variant, but does seem to be spreading rapidly across the country.
“This will be the second-biggest wave we've had since the early time of the pandemic. It's projected that perhaps in about a week it's going to peak and it's going to be much higher,” said former CEO of St. Luke’s Health System Dr. David Pate, speaking to Idaho Matters.
He said that, combined with increases in influenza cases, makes it worth getting vaccinated if you haven’t already.
If you’re at high risk for developing severe illness from COVID, Dr. Pate says to also consider wearing an N95 mask and limiting your exposure to large gatherings to decrease your chance of contracting either the flu or COVID-19. He encourages taking a COVID test if you are experiencing symptoms.
