Rising cases of variants BQ.1 and XBB could make COVID drugs all but useless, study finds - Salon

The two subvariants of particular concern are known as BQ.1 and BQ.1.1, both off-shoots of the omicron variant BA.5 (but with several key changes.) Indeed, they seem able to evade many of the tools we have to defend against it, which could trigger a wave of hospitalizations, disabling victims with long COVID or death.

It appears that the adaptations necessary to evade immune detection are becoming more and more slight — and, more curiously, all the subsequent major mutations have stemmed directly from the omicron variant, which appears to be incredibly successful at reproducing already.

Indeed, we may not see a major new strain any time soon because these omicron lineages are just so good at spreading, although it's difficult to predict anything with certainty.

For most of this year, an omicron subvariant called BA.5 has been largely responsible for infections, hospitalizations and death in the U.S.

Cao co-authored a paper, which has yet to be peer-reviewed, that seems to show previous infections by BA.5 and antibody drugs, including Evusheld and Bebtelovimab, aren't enough to stop a BQ.1 infection.

BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 are both spreading extremely fast in parts of Europe.

According to Cornelius Roemer, a viral evolution expert at the University of Basel, the number of BQ.1.1 infections has been doubling every week.

Cao co-authored a paper, which has yet to be peer-reviewed, that seems to show previous infections by BA.5 and antibody drugs, including Evusheld and Bebtelovimab, aren't enough to stop a BQ.1 infection.

And then there's XBB, which Cao has described as "the most antibody-evasive strain tested." It combines two different omicron lineages (BJ.1 and BM.1.1.1) to make something so good at evading immunity (either from previous infections or vaccines) that it's close to SARS-CoV-1.

Whatever this winter throws at us, we're going to need all the tools at our disposal — including vaccines, masks and improved ventilation systems — to keep devastating COVID infections at bay.