100% agree with this assessment. JN.1 + F456L and R346T should be the target of the next vaccine update, not just the base JN.1. Both mutations are growing substantially on JN.1* and have evolved in prior variants. @WHO @ScottGottliebMD @PeacockFlu @mvankerkhove @EricTopol
100% agree with this assessment. JN.1 + F456L and R346T should be the target of the next vaccine update, not just the base JN.1. Both mutations are growing substantially on JN.1* and have evolved in prior variants. @WHO @ScottGottliebMD @PeacockFlu @mvankerkhove @EricTopol
S:R346T was in the XBB.1.5 monovalent, and was present in BQ.1.1 as well as all of the XBBs of 2023. S:F456L was the "escape mutation of 2023" before the arrival of the Pirola variants. Now JN.1 has picked it up as well. Both are important to include in the new monovalent.
Over the next handful of months, I expect this version of JN.1 to be dominant worldwide. These mutations have been selected for multiple times for a reason.
@JPWeiland You know if they make this the next target, we may have an actual lull for those who want to be vaccinated and maybe approach 85-90% efficacy against infection ala old school original strain vaccine. Think they will do it?
@JPWeiland Let's just hope it doesn't take over THAT fast. We could have a pretty big summer wave.