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Classification of Omicron (B.1.1.529): SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern

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Re: Classification of Omicron (B.1.1.529): SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern

#11

Post by 323 »

0xcafecafe wrote: post #3

Why Omicron and not Nu?

Imagine the confusion between "Nu variant" and "new variant", when the next variant appears. Also, Nu is basically ungoogleble.

Bonus points: Nu is the 13th letter of the Greek alphabet, and today is Friday 26 (2*13).

Re: Classification of Omicron (B.1.1.529): SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern

#12

Post by jasonhansel »

Interesting choice to pick "Omicron" instead of "Nu," which news outlets had been expecting them to use. Perhaps this allows them to avoid having to use "Xi" as the name of a Covid variant, which would have been...inconvenient for the WHO.

Re: Classification of Omicron (B.1.1.529): SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern

#14

Post by yosito »

jasonhansel wrote: post #12

Interesting choice to pick "Omicron" instead of "Nu," which news outlets had been expecting them to use. Perhaps this allows them to avoid having to use "Xi" as the name of a Covid variant, which would have been...inconvenient for the WHO.

Maybe they wanted to avoid antivax jokes about the Nu normal.

Re: Classification of Omicron (B.1.1.529): SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern

#15

Post by kranke155 »

jasonhansel wrote: post #12

Interesting choice to pick "Omicron" instead of "Nu," which news outlets had been expecting them to use. Perhaps this allows them to avoid having to use "Xi" as the name of a Covid variant, which would have been...inconvenient for the WHO.

Nu means naked in Portuguese (and Spanish I think?)

Maybe they wanted to avoid all the lazy puns. A pretty significant part of the world speaks either of those two languages.

Re: Classification of Omicron (B.1.1.529): SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern

#18

Post by mattlondon »

jasonhansel wrote: post #12

Interesting choice to pick "Omicron" instead of "Nu," which news outlets had been expecting them to use. Perhaps this allows them to avoid having to use "Xi" as the name of a Covid variant, which would have been...inconvenient for the WHO.

What is the problem with Xi?

Perhaps there is a second meaning I don't know?

Re: Classification of Omicron (B.1.1.529): SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern

#19

Post by Teever »

mattlondon wrote: post #18
jasonhansel wrote: post #12

Interesting choice to pick "Omicron" instead of "Nu," which news outlets had been expecting them to use. Perhaps this allows them to avoid having to use "Xi" as the name of a Covid variant, which would have been...inconvenient for the WHO.

What is the problem with Xi? Perhaps there is a second meaning I don't know?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xi_Jinping
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