The virologist deemed it "unlikely" for a new epidemic due to an ultra-mutant strain. A severe disease course and high mortality are not expected from PJ.2.1, but a new vaccine will probably be needed. The new version of the coronavirus, which was first discovered in May, has not yet been officially documented in Russia, but experts interviewed by Izvestia do not rule out that individual cases already exist, they simply remain unnoticed for now. The chief researcher at the Gamaliya Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, virologist Anatoly Altstein told the Podium publication that PJ.2.1 is not significantly different from other versions of Omicron. He also agreed that apparently, the "ultra-mutant" had already infiltrated Russia. "I think we already have that too. This version of Omicron is not significantly different from other strains of Omicron. It behaves gently, and as a rule, does not cause serious diseases. It affects older people more." According to Altstein, due to the antigenic differences of the new version, the incidence of Covid-19 may increase significantly, but the virologist does not expect the situation to repeat itself during the epidemic. "The incidence, of course, can rise sharply. But it will no longer happen as it was, with a fairly significant mortality rate. The fate of this virus is more or less clear. Several epidemics like the one that occurred are now unlikely with this virus. Altstein noted that PJ.2.1 is antigenically different from previous variants of the coronavirus, so it will likely require a new vaccine. "It is likely that a separate and new vaccine will be needed against it. Creating a vaccine now takes a small number of months, but it takes nonetheless. Therefore, now we can only use old vaccines, which have a certain effect, but it is not significant."

The virologist deemed it "unlikely" for a new epidemic due to an ultra-mutant strain. A severe disease course and high mortality are not expected from PJ.2.1, but a new vaccine will probably be needed. The new version of the coronavirus, which was first discovered in May, has not yet been officially documented in Russia, but experts interviewed by Izvestia do not rule out that individual cases already exist, they simply remain unnoticed for now. The chief researcher at the Gamaliya Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, virologist Anatoly Altstein told the Podium publication that PJ.2.1 is not significantly different from other versions of Omicron. He also agreed that apparently, the "ultra-mutant" had already infiltrated Russia. "I think we already have that too. This version of Omicron is not significantly different from other strains of Omicron. It behaves gently, and as a rule, does not cause serious diseases. It affects older people more." According to Altstein, due to the antigenic differences of the new version, the incidence of Covid-19 may increase significantly, but the virologist does not expect the situation to repeat itself during the epidemic. "The incidence, of course, can rise sharply. But it will no longer happen as it was, with a fairly significant mortality rate. The fate of this virus is more or less clear. Several epidemics like the one that occurred are now unlikely with this virus. Altstein noted that PJ.2.1 is antigenically different from previous variants of the coronavirus, so it will likely require a new vaccine. "It is likely that a separate and new vaccine will be needed against it. Creating a vaccine now takes a small number of months, but it takes nonetheless. Therefore, now we can only use old vaccines, which have a certain effect, but it is not significant."