The coronavirus is constantly evolving. A new omicron subline is of particular interest to experts: BQ.1.1 has properties that could trigger another wave of contagion.
The number of corona infections is increasing. According to the Robert Koch Institute, BQ.1.1, a new subline of the omicron variant of the coronavirus, was also detected in Germany at the end of September. BQ.1.1 is probably a direct successor to BA.5, i.e. the variant that has successfully established itself as the dominant variant of the corona virus in Germany since mid-June. Now BQ.1.1 seems to be about to triumph. Even if the number of proofs was small at the beginning, there has recently been an increase.
This worries experts such as Richard Neher from the Biozentrum at the University of Basel. The biophysicist has been investigating how the coronavirus has been developing since the beginning of the pandemic and, in an interview with the university, describes BQ.1.1 as a “particularly worrying subline”.
According to a Twitter entry, Cornelius Römer, an employee of Neher, estimates that BQ.1.1 will cause a wave before the end of November, especially in Europe and North America. He relies on the rapid increase in the BQ.1.1 variant found within a short period of time.
The mutations of BQ.1.1, especially in the spike protein, are cited as the reason for these assessments. The so-called escape mutations also change the surface structure of the spike protein, which the virus uses to dock onto the cell. The antibodies that are already in the body of vaccinated and/or recovered people no longer recognize it due to the genetic changes and accordingly cannot prevent the virus from docking. BQ.1.1 thus penetrates the cell unhindered and spreads further from there. The body is infected.
Even if BQ.1.1 is currently considered the most potent candidate of the known sublines, nobody can say with certainty at this point in time whether this or another subline will prevail in the next few weeks and become the dominant variant. However, it seems clear that there will be numerous infections in the next few weeks.
Vaccination researcher Erik Leif Sander from the Charité also sees it this way: In addition to the BA.5 autumn wave, which is currently building up rapidly, you will probably soon be dealing with a variant that strongly evades the existing immune response: “The Winter is coming
This so-called immune escape of the subline does not necessarily mean more severe disease progression. The mutations of BQ.1.1 indicated a possibly more effective infection, but not an undermining of all defense lines, emphasized the immunologist Christine Falk in this context. Experts see the threat of staff shortages as problematic if a large number of people become infected again at once.
