What to know about new COVID variants BQ.1 and BQ1.1

A new coronavirus variant BQ.1 and its sibling BQ1.1. are steadily accounting for more infections in the United States, spurring some concern that it may help fuel a resurgence in cases this winter.

BQ.1 and BQ1.1., which both descend from BA.5, an omicron subvariant that accounts for over 67% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., now make up roughly 11% of infections and are closing in on becoming the second-most dominant variant in the U.S., a rate at which Biden chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci said is "pretty troublesome."