WHO Assigns New Names to COVID-19 Variants

WHO Assigns New Names to COVID-19 Variants
A display model of coronavirus during the 3rd World Health Expo held in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on April 8, 2021. Getty Images
Reuters
Updated:

GENEVA—Variants of the novel coronavirus are now being assigned the letters of the Greek Alphabet in a bid to simplify discussion and pronunciation while avoiding stigma.

The World Health Organization revealed the new names on Monday amid criticism that those given by scientists such as the so-called South African variant which goes by multiple names including B.1.351, 501Y.V2 and 20H/501Y.V2 were too complicated.