In the face of growing concerns over the emergence of the JN.1 variant of the coronavirus, which has led to seven new Covid fatalities reported on Friday – three in Kerala, two in Karnataka, and one in Punjab – Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former chief scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO), has stepped forward to allay fears. Speaking exclusively to ANI, Dr. Swaminathan conveyed a message of caution but emphasized that there is no immediate need for panic. She pointed out that the WHO has classified the JN.1 variant as a "variant of interest" rather than a "variant of concern." According to her, current data does not indicate an elevated level of severity or increased mortality associated with this variant.