MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday said it is discouraging the naming of COVID-19 variants after countries where these were first detected, saying it may cause some people to be discriminated against.
“Ayaw na natin yung practice na ginagamit yung pangalan ng isang lugar to assign the name of the virus or the variant kasi nga nakaka-cause ng discrimination dun sa mga nanggagaling sa bansang ‘yun,” Dr. Anna Ong-Lim of the DOH technical working group on COVID-19 variants said during the Laging Handa press briefing.
(We don’t like the practice of naming the virus or the variant after a country because i…
Keep on reading: DOH says naming COVID-19 variants after countries is discriminatory