Strange New COVID Symptoms in New Jersey

Another day, another COVID variant.

If you're not feeling sick, you may have noticed that many people in New Jersey are ill.

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Typically, during the winter months, there is a spike in cases of the flu, infections, and common colds.

We can now add COVID to the list. And it's not just in winter anymore.

New variants of coronavirus get a lot of attention, but it should be known that new and different variants of other airborne viruses are constantly developing. It's just what they do.

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However, COVID-19 is still relatively new, and we continue to learn about it.

I tested positive recently. I took the test when I started to feel rundown with a fever and dry cough.

This will be the third time I've gotten COVID, and this time it knocked me on my butt.

And, yes, I was vaccinated.

There were also a couple of new symptoms that I never experienced before.

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After some research, people who catch the new variant are experiencing these bizarre new symptoms.

JN.1 is a relatively new dominant COVID variant.

According to the CDC, up to 30 percent of COVID cases are JN.1.

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COVID-19 symptoms can range from shortness of breath and a sore throat to a loss of taste, smell, and appetite. I lost my taste and smell for three weeks.

It's so strange.

I didn't experience loss of taste and smell this time, but I did the first time.

The virus can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, aches, and headaches.

This time around, I noticed two new symptoms.

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Insomnia

Even though I've been run down and tired, I have struggled to sleep.

You may say, "Of course you're tired; you're sick." I'm with you.

The difference is that people are reporting being tired but having difficulty sleeping.

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Anxiety

I've been dealing with anxiety and depression for most of my life. It's just something I monitor and deal with.

I noticed that this week, while I was ill, my anxiety was way worse than usual.

It turns out anxiety is another newer symptom of COVID-19 that's been reported by patients.

The CDC hasn't officially made these two new symptoms "official," saying:

Sleeplessness and mood changes could also be attributed to other potential causes at this time of year, such as an infection by another respiratory illness or a lack of vitamin D.

Be well!

Answers to 25 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

Vaccinations for COVID-19 began being administered in the U.S. on Dec. 14, 2020. The quick rollout came a little more than a year after the virus was first identified in November 2019. The impressive speed with which vaccines were developed has also left a lot of people with a lot of questions. The questions range from the practical—how will I get vaccinated?—to the scientific—how do these vaccines even work?

Keep reading to discover answers to 25 common COVID-19 vaccine questions.

Gallery Credit: Stephanie Parker