Do You Need A New Vaccine For This New Covid Variant?

V K Paul, Member-Health, Niti Aayog, provides an update on the current COVID-19 situation following a meeting with all States/UTs. There are around 2,300 active Covid cases in India currently, primarily due to the emergence of the Covid JN.1 variant. The variant has affected states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Karnataka. This variant has also been reported overseas. Over the last two weeks, 16 deaths have been recorded among individuals with serious co-morbidities. V K Paul emphasized that while COVID-19 has not disappeared, there is no need to panic. He encouraged continued vigilance and highlighted the protective impact of the ongoing national vaccine program against severe outcomes.