A new variant of COVID-19 has already been detected in three countries: will it reach Russia? The agency is monitoring the situation with the PJ.2.1 version, but no cases of its infection have yet been recorded in Russia. PJ.2.1 was first identified in May 2026, with infections recorded in Canada, the United States and Spain. PJ.2.1 is distinguished by multiple changes in the spike protein, which helps the virus enter human cells. Previously, experts admitted that the variant may reach Russia in the near future, but according to the head of the Center for Personalized Medicine at KFU, Albert Rizvanov, there is still no reason to consider it more dangerous than other circulating variants of the coronavirus. Photo: CC0 public domain Rosblatt in Max.

A new variant of COVID-19 has already been detected in three countries: will it reach Russia? The agency is monitoring the situation with the PJ.2.1 version, but no cases of its infection have yet been recorded in Russia. PJ.2.1 was first identified in May 2026, with infections recorded in Canada, the United States and Spain. PJ.2.1 is distinguished by multiple changes in the spike protein, which helps the virus enter human cells. Previously, experts admitted that the variant may reach Russia in the near future, but according to the head of the Center for Personalized Medicine at KFU, Albert Rizvanov, there is still no reason to consider it more dangerous than other circulating variants of the coronavirus. Photo: CC0 public domain Rosblatt in Max.