The reason WHO gave new names to the virus variants that cause Covid-19 disease

The World Health Organization (WHO) on May 31 announced a new naming system for variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, in order to avoid stigma due to names attached to places.

WHO technical team leader on Covid-19 Maria Van Kerkhove. Photo: AFP According to the new announcement, WHO will use Greek letters to refer to variants that were first detected in countries such as the UK, South Africa and India. For example, the variant in the UK is called Alpha, in South Africa it is Beta, and in India it is Delta. The full list of names has been published on the WHO website. The Government of India earlier this month criticized the naming of variant B.1.617.2 – first detected in the country last October – as “Indian variant”, despite WHO never officially called it that. “No country should be discriminated against in detecting and reporting variants,” said WHO’s Covid-19 technical team leader Maria Van Kerkhove, “we don’t want to replace scientific names.” available, but only to assist in the transmission of certain information to the general public” If more than 24 variants are officially identified, meaning the system will run out of Greek letters, WHO will announce the new designation. Ms. Van Kerkhove on May 31 also called for close monitoring of variants and sharing of scientific data to help prevent the spread. Over the weekend, Vietnamese health officials warned of a new virus variant, which is believed to be a dangerous combination of two Alpha and Delta variants. While a scientific adviser to the British Government on May 31 said that the country is in the early stages of a third wave of Covid-19 infections, partly due to the Delta variant.