Discussion»Statements»Rosie's Corner» New Covid 19 variants will be given GREEK ALPHABET names to avoid insult and stigma. Does CHINA VIRUS ring a bell?
Whilst I felt at ease with terms like "the Brazilian variant" or "the South African variant", since there aren't many Brazilians or South Africans living in the UK (outside of London), I am uneasy about "Indian variant" because it may unintentionally create a narrative that people of a certain ethnic backgrounds are responsible for spreading it and give rise to a backlash.
At present the only alternatives are to use a locution like "the variant first identified in India" or to call it by its scientific name, B.1.617, so using Greek letters sounds like the perfect solution. Until we run out of letters. Then move on to Hebrew?
Or Sanscrit or Hieroglyphics Rev? I guess it's understandable if you KNOW THE SOURCE FOR SURE to refer to it as that. But in this climate today? That gets people attacked hurt murdered. The nutjob crackpots are out and about and apparently in Charge. Thank you for your reply and Happy Tuesday to thee and thine m'dear! :)
The original disease already has a formal, non-national name: SARS Covid 19.
I don't suppose it worries the Greeks at all, because their alphabet is used for all sorts of scientific notations, some more or less standard (e.g. the letters lambda for wavelength, pi for circular and harmonic calculations); others specified as the need arises (e.g. in trigonometry, and for the covid variants).
Reverend Muhammadovsky 