WHO names new Covid-19 variant ‘Omicron’: Here is why they skipped the Greek alphabets Nu and Xi, drawing worldwide ire

While the Covid 19 circumstances have been declining the world over a brand new variant of the coronavirus labelled as ‘Omicron’ (B.1.1.529) has left well being specialists and markets apprehensive. The World Health Organization (WHO) which named this variant Omicron has categorized it as a variant of concern stating that it may pose a higher danger than the Delta variant.
The Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution met immediately to assessment what is understood concerning the #COVID19 variant B.1.1.529.They suggested WHO that it needs to be designated a Variant of Concern.WHO has named it Omicron, in step with naming protocols https://t.co/bSbVas9yds pic.twitter.com/Gev1zIt1Ek— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) November 26, 2021
But the naming of this variant by the WHO has kicked-off an argument with allegations of WHO pandering to China surfacing.
WHO has been utilizing Greek alphabets to call new variants of COVID-19 for simple identification and understanding among the many non-scientific teams. Going by this norm, Nu and Xi are the following letters within the Greek alphabet that ought to have been used to call a variant, that has now been named Omicron. Questions are actually being raised as to why WHO determined to skip the letters Nu and Xi.
List of Greek alphabets
It is being theorised that had WHO named the variant Nu, any further variant would then need to be referred to as Xi, which occurs to be the identify of China’s President. “The concern is that WHO is again avoiding any discomfort for the Chinese government. So they named it Omicron,” mentioned Jonathan Truley, American lawyer and authorized scholar.
He who should not be named. It seems the W.H.O. has skipped the following Greek letter after Nu to call the brand new variant. The subsequent letter is Xi. The concern is that W.H.O. is once more avoiding any discomfort for the Chinese authorities. So they named it Omicron…— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) November 26, 2021
WHO has not supplied an evidence for skipping Nu and Xi however New York Post has speculated a couple of causes. Nu was skipped apparently to keep away from confusion with the phrase “new.” Xi was skipped as a result of it’s written similarity to the identify of Chinese chief Xi Jinping.
People and policymakers criticised WHO its blatant appeasement of China
“If the WHO is this scared of the Chinese Communist Party, how can they be trusted to call them out the next time they’re trying to cover up a catastrophic global pandemic?” mentioned Ted Cruz who’s the senator of Texas.
If the WHO is that this afraid of the Chinese Communist Party, how can they be trusted to name them out the following time they’re making an attempt to cowl up a catastrophic international pandemic? https://t.co/wURdLcdqw2— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) November 26, 2021
Cruz was responding to senior British journalist Paul Nuki who claimed WHO supply confirmed to him that the letters Nu and Xi of the Greek alphabet have been intentionally prevented. He mentioned Nu was skipped to keep away from confusion with the phrase “new” and Xi had been skipped to keep away from ‘stigmatising a region’. Nuki commented that every one pandemics have been inherently political.
A WHO supply confirmed the letters Nu and Xi of the Greek alphabet had been intentionally prevented. Nu had been skipped to keep away from confusion with the phrase “new” and Xi had been skipped to “avoid stigmatising a region”, they mentioned.All pandemics inherently political!— Paul Nuki (@PaulNuki) November 26, 2021
WHO has a coverage to not identify any variant on the identify of any nation and area. Jonathan Turley was fast to level out that Xi has not attended area standing.
…The new variant was anticipated to be Nu however any further variant would then be Xi, which occurs to be the identify of the Chinese chief…— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) November 26, 2021
Even distinguished well being specialists like Martin Kulldorff of Harvard Medical School have been left questioning concerning the naming of the brand new variant by WHO echoing what Paul Nuki mentioned.
“News of new Nu variant, but WHO is jumping the alphabet to call it Omicron, so they can avoid Xi,” Martin Kulldorff .
News of recent Nu variant, however WHO is leaping the alphabet to name it Omicron, to allow them to keep away from Xi. pic.twitter.com/UJ4xMwg52i— Martin Kulldorff (@MartinKulldorff) November 26, 2021
American linguist and lexicographer Benjamin Zimmer who can be the contributing editor for The Atlantic poked enjoyable at WHO.
Kudos to the WHO for skipping over the possibly complicated Nu and Xi names and going straight to Omicron. https://t.co/fa4q66VOjL https://t.co/9w5f4yIU8p— Ben Zimmer (@bgzimmer) November 26, 2021
WHO has lengthy been accused of defending China even when Wuhan was the origin of Covid 19. The then-American President Donald Trump had even suspended funding to WHO for taking part in within the palms of China even when the world confronted such an enormous catastrophe.