(Photo by Handout / US Food and Drug Administration / AFP)

 

By Thai PBS World’s General Desk

 

Many Thais were shocked and frustrated at international news reports identifying a “Thai variant” of COVID-19 last week. Among them was Medical Sciences Department director-general Dr. Supakit Sirilak, who said it was unfair to describe the variant as “Thai” since the country had seen only one case – and that was imported.

 

Meanwhile, the Indian government demanded that social media platforms remove all references to the “Indian variant” of COVID-19, saying the term is not scientifically accurate and damages the country’s image.

 

Such reactions have nudged many people to dig deeper into how variants are named.

 

Source: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/the-naming-of-covid-variants-invites-another-pandemic-of-racism/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-06-01

 

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Oh dear, so last year, come on catch up  :  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-57308592

NIMBY syndrome.

Should have just stuck with the Wuhan Flu ....

Nobody seemed to object when it was the UK variant. ????‍♂️

My vote is to use typhoon/hurricane naming - no one seems to go off on those names?

 

Or just a one letter/one number designation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 1, 20215 yr by mtls2005

Racism in Thailand??? impossible.. all non Thais are aliens or farangs.. good  for not the same treatment as Thais... But racism no way in Thailand....But when a Thai is named..... Oh my goodness ... the perfect people can not do anything wrong..

Am I missing something here................ I'm sure the Thai government and others have continually mentioned the Indian, UK variants in past public announcements. Stick with the facts, the only variant is the "Wuhan Virus" all other variants are a normal course of action from any virus as it mutates.

This national sensitivity over names is nothing new, the Great Pox (syphilis), was variously called the French, Neapolitan, Polish, Russian, British, Portuguese, or Christian disease, depending on the nationality or religion of the speaker.

7 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Nobody seemed to object when it was the UK variant. ????‍♂️

That can't be rasism..... 

 

He's right, it makes no sense to name a variant from a place it did not arise and never infected.

 

The name usually indicates where it was first seen, caused an outbreak, or spread from, not where it was created. We only know that in the case of a lab leak...

They are quite happy that millions come to experience the "Pattaya/soi Cowboy/Patong/Nana VIRUS" every year.

foreigners at the end of the line for vaccination, including after the soi dogs,... no problem...

 

naming a variant by where it was identified, which is the current standard world-wide.... shocking and frustrating racism...

By this logic, being a different race is racist in and of itself.

 

When does this lunacy end? Until we are all blended into one homogeneous race? And why stop there? What about the gender issue? Everyone to be a light brown colour and no distinguishable gender and definitely no ability to reproduce in case you accidentally spawn a mutant whiteskinned blue-eyed “freak”? (I’m mixed race btw)

So what do we call the Spanish flu now?

Good idea - they can name the original Wuhan virus Xi ( Ξ , ξ ) .....

They should stop letting their emotions rule them. In other words - start acting like men.

10 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

So what do we call the Spanish flu now?

 

Chinese flu, probably where it came from

28 minutes ago, poskat said:

foreigners at the end of the line for vaccination, including after the soi dogs,... no problem...

 

naming a variant by where it was identified, which is the current standard world-wide.... shocking and frustrating racism...

I'm slated for a vaccination in early August. My wife, bless her, has to wait until the end of the year. 

 

So much for your theory.

WHO has actually already renamed the British variant to "alpha" and the Indian variant to "delta"...????

BBC News "Covid: WHO renames UK and other variants with Greek letters".

Edited June 1, 20215 yr by khunPer

The issue has already been addressed by WHO and about time too.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-57308592

23 minutes ago, khunPer said:

WHO has actually already renamed the British variant to "alpha" and the Indian variant to "delta"...????

BBC News "Covid: WHO renames UK and other variants with Greek letters".

and the thai "tum" for somtum

1 hour ago, Phuketshrew said:

Should have just stuck with the Wuhan Flu ....

 

Well unfortunately there seems a consistent deflection of blame coming from this country on everything level when they are investigated on as never seemingly having full transparency for an open uncensored inspection, which more or less points to cover up(s).

 

There is nothing cute about Covid 19. So let's put the origin on that as even they have even stated Wuhan wet market.

 

So take your pick for officially:

 

Wuhan Flu- Origin China

Wuhan Flu Mutation UK - Origin China

Wuhan Flu Mutation India - Origin China

Wuhan Flu Mutation Africa - Origin China

or 

Covid 19 - Origin China

Covid 19  Mutation UK - Original origin China

Covid 19  Mutation India - Original origin China

Covid 19  Flu Mutation Africa - Original origin China

or 

Wuhan Horseshoe Bat  Flu- Origin China

Wuhan Horseshoe Bat Flu Mutation UK - Original origin China

Wuhan Horseshoe Bat Flu Mutation India - Original origin China

Wuhan Horseshoe Bat Flu Mutation Africa - Original origin China

or

Chinese Horseshoe Bat Covid 19- Origin China

Chinese Horseshoe Bat Covid 19 Mutation UK - Original origin China

Chinese Horseshoe Bat Covid 19 Mutation India - Original origin China

Chinese Horseshoe Bat Covid 19 Mutation Africa - Origin origin China

 

Horseshoe Bat Covid 19 - Origin China

Horseshoe Bat Covid 19  Mutation UK - Original origin China

Horseshoe Bat Covid 19  Mutation India - Original origin China

Horseshoe Bat Covid 19  Flu Mutation Africa - Original origin China

 

In the end the origin whether the virus has mutated or not will always be there no matter what it is called, and if it is proven that this is manufactured then it absolutely needs to be directly connected to the government and the lab. Every country's government needs to always step up an take responsibility and not always cry foul. 

 

I do disagree with Asian hate crimes as all Asian people are innocent people in this matter.

1 hour ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Nobody seemed to object when it was the UK variant

Not even for the African, Brazilian and Indian variants, but if you add a "TH", here are the reactions

On this idea suggested, if the world goes that far for Covid 19 then let's take it farther to avoid problems and rename every sea and ocean that has any slight connection to any country starting with South China Sea and Indian ocean and then go from there. So how about South Asian Sea and then change Indian ocean to Eastern ocean like it was originally called. If the world want change then let's go the nine yards.

Well. True. I am waiting for the Burmese strain to arrive. That will give Thais more reason to treat them like.....you know.

1 hour ago, clivebaxter said:

 

Chinese flu, probably where it came from

Rather than uninformed racist speculation ("probably") 5 min research could lead you to know the "Spanish flu" first appeared in Kansas, in USA.

1 hour ago, Rookiescot said:

So what do we call the Spanish flu now?

 

 

Freedom of the press?

 

During the war no countries wanted to talk about the flu, for fear of impacting the war efforts. In the U.S. President Wilson set up an office to manage the press to not mention the flu, and little federal aid was offered.

 

Spain was not involved in the war, and their press felt free to report on the flu.

 

Hence the name.

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

WHO has actually already renamed the British variant to "alpha" and the Indian variant to "delta"...????

BBC News "Covid: WHO renames UK and other variants with Greek letters".

 

What happens when they get to the 25th variant?

5 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

What happens when they get to the 25th variant?

We no use 25 it too big. We use square root = 5. 5 is small number and then we write 5². Nobody know in western country because no good in number.