Current Events > > WHO invents new names to avoid country-based variant names

(+) Yeah! (+)

> Doesn't designate these names quickly enough so we have everyone referring to a "Colombian variant" now anyway

(B.1.621, which I'm guessing will in the next couple of weeks become known as the "mu variant" - simply based on that being the first not-yet-used Greek letter.)

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we're screwed.

seen what delta has done. hospitals are overflowing because of the ignorant choices people made. goddamn jamboree and goddamn county fair.
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Can't wait for the American variant

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Mu variant? Can't wait for people to start freaking out about beef.

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Doe posted...

Can't wait for the American variant

There's already Iota (formerly "New York variant") and Epsilon (formerly "California variant"), although the latter is no longer considered a variant of interest (and neither was ever outright considered a variant of concern).

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Are they gonna loop around once they reach the end of the alphabet? Like alpha beta variant?

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Hexenherz posted...

Are they gonna loop around once they reach the end of the alphabet? Like alpha beta variant?

They're already considering what they'll do if / when this happens. Naming after star constellations is one proposal that's been put forward, but I don't think there's any official decision yet.

What they should do is get out one of those random word generators that creates a phonetically-valid but nonsense word, and use those to make the names. Infinite names right there. Could perhaps even come up with a special algorithm that derives it from the scientific name (B.1.1.7, B.1.617.2, C.37, etc - although no reason they couldn't base it on one of the other scientific naming schemes rather than that one, of course).

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Great so first they taint the Greek alphabet and now they're talking about ruining constellation names? Not really joking either, why associate a deadly virus with something positive, mystical, whimsical, fun

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Hexenherz posted...

Great so first they taint the Greek alphabet and now they're talking about ruining constellation names? Not really joking either, why associate a deadly virus with something positive, mystical, whimsical, fun

I definitely found it amusing how they were like "we don't wanna prejudice against places by naming variants after them, so let's just use one place's alphabet".

I guess it's about having names that follow some kind of order, and that people are familiar with? Not really sure. I still like the random word generator idea the best tbh.

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Trumble posted...

What they should do is get out one of those random word generators that creates a phonetically-valid but nonsense word

The flargle variant.

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They didn't make a new naming scheme to avoid country-based names. They did that because the old naming scheme (B.1.151, B.1.152, B.1.153, or something like that) was too confusing. The new naming scheme makes it easier to identify different variants.

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CableZL posted...

They didn't make a new naming scheme to avoid country-based names. They did that because the old naming scheme (B.1.151, B.1.152, B.1.153, or something like that) was too confusing. The new naming scheme makes it easier to identify different variants.

Ah well, nevermind what the WHO themself claimed was the reason for this scheme, CableZL from GameFAQs obviously knows better.

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M'variant *tips fedora*

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Trumble posted...

Ah well, nevermind what the WHO themself claimed was the reason for this scheme, CableZL from GameFAQs obviously knows better.

https://www.who.int/news/item/31-05-2021-who-announces-simple-easy-to-say-labels-for-sars-cov-2-variants-of-interest-and-concern

WHO has assigned simple, easy to say and remember labels for key variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, using letters of the Greek alphabet.

These labels were chosen after wide consultation and a review of many potential naming systems. WHO convened an expert group of partners from around the world to do so, including experts who are part of existing naming systems, nomenclature and virus taxonomic experts, researchers and national authorities.

WHO will assign labels for those variants that are designated as Variants of Interest or Variants of Concern by WHO. These will be posted on the WHO website.

These labels do not replace existing scientific names (e.g. those assigned by GISAID, Nextstrain and Pango), which convey important scientific information and will continue to be used in research.
While they have their advantages, these scientific names can be difficult to say and recall, and are prone to misreporting. As a result, people often resort to calling variants by the places where they are detected, which is stigmatizing and discriminatory. To avoid this and to simplify public communications, WHO encourages national authorities, media outlets and others to adopt these new labels.

So, my mistake, it looks like it was a mix of both.

I thought I remembered them saying it was specifically to make the variants easier to refer to and identify in normal conversations, but I wasn't aware they were doing it to avoid stigmatization as well.

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So in regard to the delay in designating a name for a new variant, is there a threshold that needs to be crossed for a variant to be given a name? With over 200,000,000 cases globally, I'm guessing there have been many variants that weren't of enough concern to be given a name.

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Hexenherz posted...

Mu variant? Can't wait for people to start freaking out about beef.

still the #1 killer (heart disease)

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CableZL posted...

So in regard to the delay in designating a name for a new variant, is there a threshold that needs to be crossed for a variant to be given a name? With over 200,000,000 cases globally, I'm guessing there have been many variants that weren't of enough concern to be given a name.

My understanding is that they get the name when they're declared (by the WHO) a variant of concern (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta) or a variant of interest (Eta, Iota, Kappa, Lambda, and formerly Epsilon, Zeta and Theta).

A few more - such as the "Colombian variant" - are variants of interest/concern under country authorities, but not yet recognized as such by the WHO.

Awkwardly, I saw one researcher's article that suggested labelling the Colombian variant "zeta" - clearly that researcher didn't actually do their research. :P

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Hexenherz posted...

Are they gonna loop around once they reach the end of the alphabet? Like alpha beta variant?

Simpsons characters, then Ranma characters once those run out.

Questionmarktarius posted...

Simpsons characters, then Ranma characters once those run out.

Not gonna lie, I'd be highly amused at a "Sideshow Bob Variant".

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I hope they don't use Rugrats characters. The Angelica variant would be a bitch

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Hexenherz posted...

Great so first they taint the Greek alphabet and now they're talking about ruining constellation names? Not really joking either, why associate a deadly virus with something positive, mystical, whimsical, fun

cancer variant

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Doe posted...

Can't wait for the American variant

Call it ether the Desantis or Abbot varient.

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Imagine your president being so racist the World Health Organization has to create a new naming convention for viral infections to combat it

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DeadBankerDream posted...

Imagine your president being so racist the World Health Organization has to create a new naming convention for viral infections to combat it

Trump was several months out of office by the time these names came into effect. This was about how average people were responding to the names, not a single politician.

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Pi Variant, then people become terrified of pie.

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Who invents new names to avoid country-based variant names?

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deupd_u posted...

Who invents new names to avoid country-based variant names?

I understand why they would do this tho. Naming the variant after a county just invites hatred towards said country.

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