The naming of COVID variants invites another pandemic – of racism

[kotsak]

21 minutes ago, John Drake said:

2 hours 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?

 

Greek letters can be used as numerals as well so no problem ????

 

[sirineou]

The name of a virus should have one and only one purpose, and that's to identify the particular strain , All the rest are politics, and school yard tactics.  Identifying a virus by the area it was first discovered accomplishes nothing other than demonizing a particular area or people, and deflect responsibility from one set of people and to another. 

If you all want to become pawns in that game . Up to you. 

[FitnessHealthTravel]

Yeah I hear the Spaniards are still trying to get the name change for the flu since 1918...

[Jimbo2014]

If we dont name them after countries then how will we know who to block? ???? - seems everyone is comfortable doing this until it ends up being their country on the chopping block.  Loved the way WHO couldnt say the word Chinese, but had no compunctions talking about the UK variant, the Italian Variant etc... seems its only when it hits "sensitive" countries that this problem arises. 

[jacko45k]

It doesn't matter what you say or do some group or other will find offence, even The Pope is not immune. 

[Myran]

3 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

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

Nah, the Kung Flu has a better ring to it.

[Destiny1990]

Soon they discover the Corona farang-variant.

[Cake Monster]

There is no need now for the Thais to get all sensitive and childish.

The WHO has decided to rename the Variants with the Greek Alphabet designation.

Alpha, Beta Etc

Sorry I cant remember which is which

[tifino]

2 hours ago, Emdog said:

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

yes and the Spanish never got their nickas in a knot over it either...

   Spain came to the highlight, because it was they that made the initial declaration about that 'pandemic' 

 - and yes the situation came from an Army Training Camp in Kansas, after they wholesale 'vaccinated' troops in preparation for a war in the Trenches.

The resultant world wide sickness came from the actual vaccine itself.

Sick troops first detected when still in Camp, whilst multitudes of those jabbed made it to Europe before succumbing... the 'delay' being from many of them being jabbed whilst in transit, or on Arrival Europe

The expanding map of sick troops made it seem a pandemic was upon them, but really the 'expansion' came about by the magnifying of the number of troops being jabbed...  Those troops, and later the populace never jabbed; never caught 'the spanish flu'  

 

[Fex Bluse]

1 hour ago, sirineou said:

The name of a virus should have one and only one purpose, and that's to identify the particular strain , All the rest are politics, and school yard tactics.  Identifying a virus by the area it was first discovered accomplishes nothing other than demonizing a particular area or people, and deflect responsibility from one set of people and to another. 

If you all want to become pawns in that game . Up to you. 

 

Geographic origin is critically important in epidemics (within the country) and pandemics (globally). 

[WaveHunter]

The CCSA has been making a big deal about this in several briefings this week.  IMO, it is pure nonsense to claim that geographic naming of viruses, variants, or epidemics leads to racism or xenophobia!

 

Almost every epidemic in history has been named this way for ease of discussion.  It's not at all xenophobic or improper, it is simply more descriptive and easier to remember than Pango, Clade and lineage nomenclature. 

 

How silly!  Who really cares?  I mean, what matters is what something is, not what it's called. 

 

It seems that politically based organizations and individuals often resort to playing the  xenophobia card to deflect from issues of greater concern to the public and outside the politicians' ability to control a favorable outcome.

 

This is the WHO's official naming scheme now for those who feel the need for being "politically correct":

 

 

 

 

Edited June 1, 2021 by Rimmer

[Fex Bluse]

3 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

The CCSA has been making a big deal about this in several briefings this week.  

 

Who really cares though?  I mean, what matters is what something is, not what it's called. 

 

It seems that politically based organizations and individuals often resort to playing the  xenophobia card to deflect from issues of greater concern to the public and outside the politicians' ability to control a favorable outcome.

 

This is the WHO's official naming scheme now for those who feel the need for being "politically correct":

 

 

 

 

I see they are STILL playing political games on China's behalf.

 

One would expect to see China or Wuhan somewhere on that list - perhaps in the Alpha.

 

China has done a very impressive job of corrupting the WHO. Kudos to them for understanding human nature and how to exploit it. Very clever people.

[Paul Kernell]

4 hours ago, tank81 said:

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)

Correct, Woke gone mad! It's an adjective to define origin. A Toyota is Japanese, it's bits are made all around the world and put together in England, it's still Japanese. I'll go with a mk, KUNG FLU Mk8 or Mk10, easier to remember not racist and funny.

[rabas]

10 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

 

I see they are STILL playing political games on China's behalf.

 

One would expect to see China or Wuhan somewhere on that list - perhaps in the Alpha.

 

China has done a very impressive job of corrupting the WHO. Kudos to them for understanding human nature and how to exploit it. Very clever people.

 

You bet. The Greek alphabet has no 'W' for Wuhan.  

[RobMuir]

5 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

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

You are kidding aren't you. I have never seen so much outrage and indignation.

 

If any Thais actually really cared, which I don't really believe anyway, they would have a fair point. One case proven to have come from Egypt.

 

The English variant, despite all the protests was traced to Kent, and it has since been proven by further tracing that that is where it originated.

 

It is what it is.

 

I doubt there would be many Thai snowflakes genuinely upset by it.

[robblok]

5 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

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

Then you should read the topics most people from the UK seemed to object saying it came from France and so on. So that is a lie.

 

Anyway I don't really care how they call it but when Trump called it Chinese flu Wu-Flu ect then the tone was set. So you either call it the Wu-Flu or Chinese covid and UK strain, Indian strain or you don't use origin at all. So time for some international agreements on naming. 

 

I don't see the point of worrying about names its not as if the UK variant means the UK purposely made it same goes for indian variant and Thai variant. 

 

Some people just have thin skin. 

[Bkk Brian]

Just call a spade a spade. Its the Chinese virus mixed in with a little mutation from another country, be that India, South Africa, UK, or tim buk too.

[WaveHunter]

26 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

 

I see they are STILL playing political games on China's behalf.

 

One would expect to see China or Wuhan somewhere on that list - perhaps in the Alpha.

 

China has done a very impressive job of corrupting the WHO. Kudos to them for understanding human nature and how to exploit it. Very clever people.

The WHO is composed of many outstanding scientists and researchers but the administration does some pretty peculiar things and their penchant for renaming the "Wuhan virus" and its' variants is silly at best, and politically motivated at worst!  IMO, they have destroyed their own credibility on the world stage so many times during the past year through such behavior.

[WaveHunter]

42 minutes ago, robblok said:

Then you should read the topics most people from the UK seemed to object saying it came from France and so on. So that is a lie.

 

Anyway I don't really care how they call it but when Trump called it Chinese flu Wu-Flu ect then the tone was set. So you either call it the Wu-Flu or Chinese covid and UK strain, Indian strain or you don't use origin at all. So time for some international agreements on naming. 

 

I don't see the point of worrying about names its not as if the UK variant means the UK purposely made it same goes for indian variant and Thai variant. 

 

Some people just have thin skin. 

All of this new found anti-xenophobia in the last year or so is really nothing more than:

 

1) a political tool to deflect public focus from real and serious issues, that political leaders are unable to deal with effectively, and shift the public's anger from the politicians to something else.

 

or

 

2) a proxy-propaganda tool, such as the WHO renaming the "Wuhan virus" to Covid-19 at the behest of the Chinese CCP. 

 

It's all nothing more than "smoke and mirrors".

Edited June 1, 2021 by WaveHunter

[rudi49jr]

To me it is just a means to distinguish between the different variant, has nothing to do with race or racism: the British variant, the Brazilian, Indian, Thai one, I don’t care if it’s from Timbuktu or Antananarivo, it’s just a name to tell them apart and know which variant is which and how dangerous it is (or isn’t).

[digger70]

The naming of COVID variants invites another pandemic – of racism 

 

Why in the name of Satan is that Racism?  

Isn't it what they call the virus when it comes /has been found /identified and Named after the Country where it Originated from?

Wuhan Flu/UK Variant /India Variant/Africa variant and all other ones .

To me its just being Childish ,there are Many things like this I can't name them because I get Banned Again by the Picky Mods.

[Thomas J]

I am so sick of people getting their noses out of joint being "offended" 

The fact that a disease of any sort originates in a particular country or region is not a statement regarding the regions people.  Here is just a partial list of diseases that have for decades used geographic names to label a disease. 

 

Ebola - Ebola River Africa
MARS - Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
Zika Fever - Uganda
Lyme Disease - Lyme Connecticut
West Nile Virus - West Nile Africa

European Virus
Marburg Virus - Marburg Germany
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever - Idaho
Ross River Fever - Ross Australia
Omsk  Hemorrhagic Fever - Omsk Russia
Japanese Encephalitis
Spanish Flu

Lassa Fever - Lassa Nigeria
Norovirus - Norwalk, Ohio
German Measles



Now we have the Swine Flu but so far no civil rights groups have come out claiming discrimination. The Audubon Society refused comment on whether it found the name  Bird Flu objectionable.  Reports are being widely circulated that attorneys are meeting with the members of the Hominid class of Gorilla's, Apes, Chimpanzees, and Monkeys to seek damages caused to their reputation from the Monkey Pox.

I am just glad that Covid was not called a second Black Plague, Aztecs are forming a group to change the name of Montezuma's Revenge. China is also pursing legal remedies to stop the term Yellow Jaundice. 
 

 

[pacovl46]

Naming virus mutations after specific countries never had a racist connotation to me. Just because there’s an Indian and a British and a Brazilian version etc. doesn’t make me view these countries in a negative light and I’m pretty sure that’s the same for every other rational thinking person who knows that viruses mutate, it’s what they do.

[Eric Loh]

37 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

I am so sick of people getting their noses out of joint being "offended" 

The fact that a disease of any sort originates in a particular country or region is not a statement regarding the regions people.  Here is just a partial list of diseases that have for decades used geographic names to label a disease. 

 

Ebola - Ebola River Africa
MARS - Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
Zika Fever - Uganda
Lyme Disease - Lyme Connecticut
West Nile Virus - West Nile Africa

European Virus
Marburg Virus - Marburg Germany
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever - Idaho
Ross River Fever - Ross Australia
Omsk  Hemorrhagic Fever - Omsk Russia
Japanese Encephalitis
Spanish Flu

Lassa Fever - Lassa Nigeria
Norovirus - Norwalk, Ohio
German Measles



Now we have the Swine Flu but so far no civil rights groups have come out claiming discrimination. The Audubon Society refused comment on whether it found the name  Bird Flu objectionable.  Reports are being widely circulated that attorneys are meeting with the members of the Hominid class of Gorilla's, Apes, Chimpanzees, and Monkeys to seek damages caused to their reputation from the Monkey Pox.

I am just glad that Covid was not called a second Black Plague, Aztecs are forming a group to change the name of Montezuma's Revenge. China is also pursing legal remedies to stop the term Yellow Jaundice. 
 

 

As long as connotation is not being weaponized by people with a political agenda, then it’s harmless. This country labeling connotation lead to racist attack and fueled conspiracy theories is unprecedented and not helpful to unite efforts to end the pandemic and prevent future pandemics. 

[Jonnapat]

All started with Trump and the Chi nah virus

[Thomas J]

17 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

As long as connotation is not being weaponized by people with a political agenda, then it’s harmless. This country labeling connotation lead to racist attack and fueled conspiracy theories is unprecedented and not helpful to unite efforts to end the pandemic and prevent future pandemics. 

Well today in this politically correct morass the media has incubated everything is supposedly racist. 

You have pancake mix and syrup taking an icon first introduced in 1915  off from its packaging because somehow now after 105 years it is suddenly racist.  Eskimo Pie has been on its packaging for 100 years now suddenly the term Eskimo is racist. Land O' Lakes Butter first put an Indian maiden on its package in 1928.  Now having an Indian portrait is racist. 

What is next?  No White House, no Chinese Checkers, no Black Friday sales, does the city of White Plains New York need to change.  Can the Blackfeet Indians still be called Blackfeet or the Black Hills still be called black. 

Well I am Irish, perhaps I should start a movement to get General Mills to take the leprechaun off Lucky Charms.

I say, grow up, stop the incessant pointing at geography, color, or ethnicity in every aspect of life does nothing more than point to "differences" no similarities.  The fact that Lyme Disease references Lyme, Connecticut no more disparages that city, than calling a flu a Bird Flu disparages birds.

[Fex Bluse]

4 hours ago, sirineou said:

The name of a virus should have one and only one purpose, and that's to identify the particular strain , All the rest are politics, and school yard tactics.  Identifying a virus by the area it was first discovered accomplishes nothing other than demonizing a particular area or people, and deflect responsibility from one set of people and to another. 

If you all want to become pawns in that game . Up to you. 

 

Don't recall you posting this when the UK, Brazil aka India strains were being named and spread. 

 

Did you mention it then? 

[starky]

8 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

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

Ya fookin what? No one complained might wanna go back through a couple thread on thaivisa.  Never heard bigger outrage ...apparently the Kent version never came from the UK but the "filthy" French in Calais...sound familiar? 

[Gandtee]

8 hours ago, nausea said:

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.

We had German measles when we were kids.????

[Thomas J]

Just now, ozimoron said:

You say that like it's a bad thing. Obama did not have a deliberate and wholesale policy of deliberately separating children from their parents. Trump did.

You say that as if first obeying the law is a bad thing and putting only some children and their parents in cages is ok.  Does that make Pol Pot a better person than Stalin because he killed fewer people.