AS PANIC BUYING AT THE PUMPS CONTINUES. ♪ GETTING THE FACTS ON THE VAX. SHE WANTS TO KNOW WHICH VACCINE PROTECTS BEST AGAINST THE VARIANCE. >> AS MANY OF — OUR OVARIAN STRAIN OF COVID-19. THEY ARE CIRCULATING AND WE KNOW TH VACCINES ARE STILL EFFECTIVE AGAINST VARIANCE. DEPENDING ON THE SPECIFIC STRAIN OF THE VARIANT THAT MAY BE LESS EFFECT. WE ARE STILL LEARNING ABOUT HOW IMMUNITY IS ACHIEVED FROM VACCINATION IN TERMS OF
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World Well being Group’s new naming system for coronavirus variants makes use of Greek alphabet
Up to date: 5:17 PM CDT Might 31, 2023
The World Well being Group mentioned on Monday that it has assigned new “labels” to key coronavirus variants so the general public can discuss with them by letters of the Greek alphabet as an alternative of the place the variant was first detected.For example, WHO calls the “UK variant” (B.1.1.7) “Alpha,” and the “South African variant” (B.1.351) is “Beta.””No nation must be stigmatized for detecting and reporting variants,” Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s technical lead for COVID-19 response, wrote in a Twitter put up Monday.Fairly, a WHO skilled panel recommends utilizing Greek alphabet letters to discuss with variants, “which will likely be simpler and extra sensible to mentioned by non-scientific audiences,” WHO says on a brand new webpage on its web site.The P.1 variant, first detected in Brazil and designated a variant of concern in January, has been labeled “Gamma.” The B.1.617.2 variant, first present in India and not too long ago reclassified from a variant of curiosity to variant of concern, is “Delta.” Variants of curiosity have been given labels from “Epsilon” to “Kappa.”All viruses, together with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, can mutate or change over time. That is what results in variants.WHO famous in Monday’s announcement that the brand new labels don’t substitute current scientific names for coronavirus variants. Scientific names will “proceed for use in analysis,” Van Kerkhove tweeted.”Whereas they’ve their benefits, these scientific names might be troublesome to say and recall, and are susceptible to misreporting. Consequently, individuals usually resort to calling variants by the locations the place they’re detected, which is stigmatizing and discriminatory,” in keeping with WHO’s announcement.It might even be incorrect, as there’s proof the mutations that mark at the very least among the variants have arisen independently in a number of completely different locations.”To keep away from this and to simplify public communications, WHO encourages nationwide authorities, media retailers and others to undertake these new labels,” WHO mentioned.There are some considerations that WHO’s new Greek alphabet naming system has come just a little too late — and now the system may make describing the variants much more difficult as there will likely be three potential names: their scientific title, references based mostly on the place a variant was first recognized and now, WHO’s Greek alphabet labeling.”It will have been good to have thought of this nomenclature early,” Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar on the Johns Hopkins Middle for Well being Safety, informed CNN on Monday. He added that he thinks will probably be troublesome to now persuade individuals to begin utilizing the Greek alphabet labels.”There’s positively points with stigmatization the place the variants are being described after which labeling them based mostly on that nation. We all know that there is already backlash in India, relating to the Indian variant and other people mentioning it that means,” Adalja mentioned. “So, I perceive why it is taking place. I believe it is only a lot for individuals to consider this far down the road.”
The World Well being Group mentioned on Monday that it has assigned new “labels” to key coronavirus variants so the general public can discuss with them by letters of the Greek alphabet as an alternative of the place the variant was first detected.
For example, WHO calls the “UK variant” (B.1.1.7) “Alpha,” and the “South African variant” (B.1.351) is “Beta.”
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“No nation must be stigmatized for detecting and reporting variants,” Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s technical lead for COVID-19 response, wrote in a Twitter post Monday.
Fairly, a WHO skilled panel recommends utilizing Greek alphabet letters to discuss with variants, “which will likely be simpler and extra sensible to mentioned by non-scientific audiences,” WHO says on a brand new webpage on its website.
The P.1 variant, first detected in Brazil and designated a variant of concern in January, has been labeled “Gamma.” The B.1.617.2 variant, first present in India and not too long ago reclassified from a variant of curiosity to variant of concern, is “Delta.” Variants of curiosity have been given labels from “Epsilon” to “Kappa.”
All viruses, together with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, can mutate or change over time. That is what results in variants.
WHO famous in Monday’s announcement that the brand new labels don’t substitute current scientific names for coronavirus variants. Scientific names will “proceed for use in analysis,” Van Kerkhove tweeted.
“Whereas they’ve their benefits, these scientific names might be troublesome to say and recall, and are susceptible to misreporting. Consequently, individuals usually resort to calling variants by the locations the place they’re detected, which is stigmatizing and discriminatory,” in keeping with WHO’s announcement.
It might even be incorrect, as there’s proof the mutations that mark at the very least among the variants have arisen independently in a number of completely different locations.
“To keep away from this and to simplify public communications, WHO encourages nationwide authorities, media retailers and others to undertake these new labels,” WHO mentioned.
There are some considerations that WHO’s new Greek alphabet naming system has come just a little too late — and now the system may make describing the variants much more difficult as there will likely be three potential names: their scientific title, references based mostly on the place a variant was first recognized and now, WHO’s Greek alphabet labeling.
“It will have been good to have thought of this nomenclature early,” Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar on the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, informed CNN on Monday. He added that he thinks will probably be troublesome to now persuade individuals to begin utilizing the Greek alphabet labels.
“There’s positively points with stigmatization the place the variants are being described after which labeling them based mostly on that nation. We all know that there is already backlash in India, relating to the Indian variant and other people mentioning it that means,” Adalja mentioned. “So, I perceive why it is taking place. I believe it is only a lot for individuals to consider this far down the road.”
