BQ.1 & BQ.1.1 Variants in the UK: US & EU Warn of the Next Dominant Variant
24/10/22
Two new variants named BQ.1 and sub-variant BQ.1.1 are fast growing in the UK with a doubling time of approximately 7 days, as of October 24 2022. Its doubling rate is currently outpacing the presently dominant BA.5 Variant that first originated before the Spring Wave. The proportion of C-19 infections caused by this variant is currently 16% in the U.S in the week ending 22 October., up from 11.4% the week before and 5.7% the week before that. With similar numbers in France. In New York, the number is 28%. The European Union Health Agency expects this to become the dominant variant across Europe in the next couple of months, driving the number of total infections upward. It is classified as an ‘escape variant’ given it’s ability to evade the immune response from prior infections.
