Covid JN.1 variant surge: What to know about testing and accuracy

Do we need to keep swabbing our nasal passages with Covid tests at the first sign of congestion or achiness? How well do at-home tests work against the new variant?

The U.S. is currently in the midst of a Covid wave, fueled by the JN.1 variant that’s driving up hospitalizations and deaths across the country. For most people, however, the new variant doesn’t seem to be causing worse symptoms.

That’s left many wondering whether we need to keep swabbing our nasal passages with Covid tests at the first sign of congestion or achiness? How well do at-home rapid tests work against the new variant?

Here’s what to know:

Influenza and some cold viruses are circulating along with Covid. So there are good reasons to know which virus you’ve got, particularly if you are at higher risk of getting really sick.

“It’s important to know if you have Covid versus the flu versus something that’s not viral at all — like strep throat — because they have different treatments,” said Dr. Abraar Karan, an infectious disease physician at Stanford Medicine. “They have different treatments, and the sooner you get treated the better outcome you’ll have.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/covid-variant-surge-testing-accuracy-rcna133699

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