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WHO avoided calling new Covid variant Xi to avoid ‘stigmatising a region’
Omicron was not the first choice for the new Covid variant, or even the second. Speculation is rife the WHO chose the name to avoid annoying China.
Brooke Rolfe
2 min read
November 28, 2021 - 9:52PM
news.com.au
The World Health Organisation’s decision to bypass two Greek alphabet letters to land on Omicron as the name for the latest Covid-19 variant has sparked suggestions it was a deliberate move to avoid annoying China.
Following the discovery of a new variant earlier this week, the internet quickly presumed its name would be “Nu”, given it came next after Delta in the Greek alphabet. Nu quickly began to trend on social media.
Confusion then reigned when the variant wasn’t called Nu, nor the following letter, “Xi”.
Why wasn’t Xi used? Well as well as being a letter of the Greek alphabet it also happens to be the surname of Chinese president, Xi Jinping.
It has been suggested the name Xi was avoided to prevent angering Mr Jinping.
The WHO, perhaps diplomatically, has said Xi wasn’t used due to concerns it would “stigmatise a region”.
The WHO skipped past both letters in favour of “Omicron”, a decision that a source from the organisation later confirmed was purposely made to avoid confusion.
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