CDC Official: New COVID Variant Doesn’t Appear to Be More Severe

A COVID-19 variant responsible for the vast majority of recent U.S. cases likely isn’t more severe, says an official.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta on April 23, 2020. Tami Chappell/AFP via Getty Images

A COVID-19 variant responsible for the vast majority of recent U.S. cases likely isn’t more severe than prior strains, according to early data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Although the agency is waiting for more data to make a better assessment, the variant, JN.1, doesn’t cause more severe disease for now, CDC official Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner told CBS News.