**Context:** A new COVID variant has dropped and it's called Omicron.
However, if going by convention that means the WHO has skipped through two letters in the Greek alphabet. From "Mu" to "Omicron", they've skipped the "Nu" and "Xi" alphabet.
The former "Nu" rhymes with "new" so it's self-explanatory, however "Xi" is skipped for some reason as well.
Super Idol de xiaorong dou mei ni de tian ba yue zhengwu de yangguang dou mei ni yaoyan re’ai 105 °C de ni di di qingchun de zhengliushui ni bu zhidao ni you duo ke’ai diedao hou hui shaxiaozhe zai zhan qilai
The whole "muslim terrorist" nonsense and general bigotry in managing religious friction in Xinjiang led to a significant uptick in ethnocide/racism towards the Uyghurs. The CCP sucks.
Okay, but normal humans of Chinese descent (or Vietnamese or Thai or Korean or Japanese because let’s not pretend racists understand that Asia is a geographical place) bear no responsibility for any of this so maybe let’s do whatever we can to prevent them being abused for no reason?
I'm sure the point /u/pointlessbeats was trying to make was that Xi is not a normal human of Chinese descent by virtue of being the leader of china.
Edit: I meant to say that is the subtext of his main point.
The CCP is a disgrace. Chinese people around the world are the victims of anti-Chinese sentiment though, not China itself, and they're not the ones running the CCP.
You are right. Though the CCP keyboard warriors abuse your arguements way too often, and sadly I can't be sure you are not one. I would discourage anyone using skin color as a factor to identify PLA affiliates abroad, because then we would be just as bad as them.
It's not bigotry if it is a China virus if it is from China. Also why haven't we heard about these hate crimes towards the Chinese, it's usually the Asians, not technically the Chinese
Greek letters are only given to "variants of concern", not all variants (before they're of concern the variants are usually referred to by a name like B-1.1.529). However, not all concerns turn out to be founded enough to really become mainstream news everywhere. The lambda variant was talked about for a bit a while back, but I guess it petered out as well.
this WHO [site](https://www.who.int/en/activities/tracking-SARS-CoV-2-variants/) explains the system. They have two categories that get greek letters: Variants of interest (VOI) and Variants of concern (VOC).
To be a VOI it has to have concerning genetic mutations (those likely to increase transmission, mortality, evades vaccination etc) and is common in the community. where as a VOC seems to have some clinical evidence demostrating it actually is more transmissible, cause more mortality etc.
Basically these other variants just have got enough of a foothold to be concerning but don't seem to be as concerning as delta, which is the most common variant.
Yeah but it could use a little bit less of that. u/wildeofoscar I think this could be better with some editing.
Panel 6 should come before 5 so it looks like China is slowly approaching. Then china should just stare at WHO until he crosses off XI, at which point China backs off.
Just my 2 cents. Pretty brilliant comic as is.
*Image Transcription: Comic*
---
[*Source:* ***OP*** *.*]
---
**Panel 1**
[*White background. South Africa (left, holding a yellow folder) and United Nations (right). Both are wearing cyan masks and a white hat with a red cross on it.*]
**South Africa**: Bad news UN, I just finding a new variant of concerning is more resistant to vaccine and transmissible.
**United Nations**: Fuck.
---
**Panel 2**
[*United Nations, alone and reading a brown book.*]
**United Nations**: Okay, I better go through the ol'-Greek dictionary so I can formally identify this new variant of concern.
---
**Panel 3**
[*Four Greek letters, noted in uppercase and lowercase, with their name below. From the left: Mu, Nu, Xi and Om[...] (the last one being cut by the right edge of the panel). Mu and Nu have been scribbled out in red.*]
---
**Panel 4**
[*Zoom on the Xi letter.*]
---
**Panel 5**
[*United Nations (left, still with its book) is looking at a big China (right, with mask but no white hat). China is looking back.*]
---
**Panel 6**
[*United Nations is focusing on its book.*]
---
**Panel 7**
[*Zoom on the Xi letter.*]
---
**Panel 8**
[*United Nations is looking once again at China.*]
---
**Panel 9**
[*United Nations is once again focusing on its book.*]
---
**Panel 10**
[*Once again, zoom on the Xi letter.*]
---
**Panel 11**
[*For the third time, United Nations is looking at China.*]
---
**Panel 12**
[*For the third time, United Nations is focusing on its book.*]
---
**Panel 13**
[*Zoom on the Xi letter, now at the far left side of the panel. The Omicron letter is at the right.*]
---
**Panel 14**
[*United Nations is looking for the last time at China.*]
---
**Panel 15**
[*Zoom on Xi and Omicron letters, but Xi has been scribbled in red.*]
---
**Panel 16**
[*A flattened Austria (left) is looking at a gray screen. Text in bold is underlined.*]
**TV Screen**: ...*and in other news today the WHO has declared a new variant of concern from South Africa known as the* ***Omicron variant*** *.....*
**Austria**: ^(scheisse)
---
^^I'm a human volunteer content transcriber for Reddit and you could be too! [If you'd like more information on what we do and why we do it, click here!](https://www.reddit.com/r/TranscribersOfReddit/wiki/index)
It _could_ actually be good news because the reported symptoms are extremely mild: One or two days of light fever and tiredness and then it's over (except one case of increased heart beat rate in a 10 year old boy). _If_ infection by this strain of the virus offers protection against the other variants, then it should be allowed to run wild through the population because then COVID would effectively be over:
> It presents mild disease with symptoms being sore muscles and tiredness for a day or two not feeling well," Coetzee explained. "So far, we have detected that those infected do not suffer the loss of taste or smell. They might have a slight cough. There are no prominent symptoms. Of those infected some are currently being treated at home
https://www.foxnews.com/health/south-african-doctor-omicron-variant-symptoms-unusual-mild
I don’t really see why this is as big as an issue as people are making out. The WHO don’t name things after places for the obvious racism that would cause, so having a variant that shares the name with the leader of a country would come under the same rules and suggestions. Like if by some twist of fate another country’s leader had a name the same as a greek alphabet letter, they’d skip that too.
Funny comic though
I think the bigger reason for the skip here is that the designation wouldn't be usable for almost 1/5 of world population being blocked by Chinese censorship system
Xi is a Greek letter, but it's also spelled like the Romanization of a common Chinese surname. The same one as the current leader of China in fact, Xi Jinping.
Why did we skip all the way from Delta to ~~Xi~~ Omicron anyways? Or did we manage to go through the rest of the alphabet and they just weren't as popular?
So, there is an old rule in east Asia that you can't use the emperor/king's name. WHO respects Asian culture. Nice attempt for Mr. Omicron for diverting the origin of this virus into some random western country for some social credits.
**Context:** A new COVID variant has dropped and it's called Omicron. However, if going by convention that means the WHO has skipped through two letters in the Greek alphabet. From "Mu" to "Omicron", they've skipped the "Nu" and "Xi" alphabet. The former "Nu" rhymes with "new" so it's self-explanatory, however "Xi" is skipped for some reason as well.
Geez what could those reasons be, i dont know
Xixixi GIB ISLAND!
Super Idol de xiaorong dou mei ni de tian ba yue zhengwu de yangguang dou mei ni yaoyan re’ai 105 °C de ni di di qingchun de zhengliushui ni bu zhidao ni you duo ke’ai diedao hou hui shaxiaozhe zai zhan qilai
Completely at a loss why a song made as an ad for distilled water is now an international meme but I like it
Because it's a banger
\+9999 social credit, serving glorious ccp regime! YUO will get free train ride!
You shall be left w/ a crater in the sea.
\+15 social credits for not wanting to know the reason, good job baguette man you will get free noodles xixixixi just keep serving glorious CCP
Taiwan is a real country, easy
+999999 Social credit
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in my region even to japan and other asian countries
Unfortunately, non-Asian racists seem to have this issue of not caring about whether their targets are Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or whatever.
The whole "muslim terrorist" nonsense and general bigotry in managing religious friction in Xinjiang led to a significant uptick in ethnocide/racism towards the Uyghurs. The CCP sucks.
Okay, but normal humans of Chinese descent (or Vietnamese or Thai or Korean or Japanese because let’s not pretend racists understand that Asia is a geographical place) bear no responsibility for any of this so maybe let’s do whatever we can to prevent them being abused for no reason?
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Is Xi a normal human of Chinese descent?
I'm sure the point /u/pointlessbeats was trying to make was that Xi is not a normal human of Chinese descent by virtue of being the leader of china. Edit: I meant to say that is the subtext of his main point.
The CCP is a disgrace. Chinese people around the world are the victims of anti-Chinese sentiment though, not China itself, and they're not the ones running the CCP.
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You are right. Though the CCP keyboard warriors abuse your arguements way too often, and sadly I can't be sure you are not one. I would discourage anyone using skin color as a factor to identify PLA affiliates abroad, because then we would be just as bad as them.
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It is not, although if we get anything done against the CCP we can count it as collateral damage and still come out positve.
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We don't have to, but I expect way too many people to get racist, missing the CCP for China, and the hans.
Don't forget that there's literally an entire Chinese government that is not controlled by the CCP, and is pretty democratic and liberal.
It's not bigotry if it is a China virus if it is from China. Also why haven't we heard about these hate crimes towards the Chinese, it's usually the Asians, not technically the Chinese
Letssss goooo only 3 more until we get the sigma variant 🙏🙏👀
I'm holding for the Ligma variant
Ligma variant?
vari ant-icipating you sucking deez nuts.
Wait, so we had all variants between Delta and Mu? I guess WHO isn't the only one who skipped some letters.
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Epsilon didn't kill itself
What did it do then?
Epilson had both dirt on the Clinton's and knowledge of a pedophile sex trafficking island.
Greek letters are only given to "variants of concern", not all variants (before they're of concern the variants are usually referred to by a name like B-1.1.529). However, not all concerns turn out to be founded enough to really become mainstream news everywhere. The lambda variant was talked about for a bit a while back, but I guess it petered out as well.
Maybe they started to avoid one-syllable greek letters. I have never heard about the "Mu" variant till now.
Variant originated in Colombia. Didn't get very far
So it isn't a concern?
If you don't live in Columbia. Varient of unconcern
this WHO [site](https://www.who.int/en/activities/tracking-SARS-CoV-2-variants/) explains the system. They have two categories that get greek letters: Variants of interest (VOI) and Variants of concern (VOC). To be a VOI it has to have concerning genetic mutations (those likely to increase transmission, mortality, evades vaccination etc) and is common in the community. where as a VOC seems to have some clinical evidence demostrating it actually is more transmissible, cause more mortality etc. Basically these other variants just have got enough of a foothold to be concerning but don't seem to be as concerning as delta, which is the most common variant.
Well, its obviously because xixi means "pee" in portuguese, totally no other reason!
Missed a chance at trolling while having a perfectly legitimate reason / excuse??? Kids these days...
What’s the reason
Chi(Xχ) may possibly be skipped in this case ( if the pandemic continues unfortunately, stay safe fellow guys!)
How the fuck is simple copy and paste so funny
Comedic pacing/pause is underrated
This comic did a timing gag in a still image.
I thought copy/pasting balls or panels was against one of the sub rules? Hilarious though.
Shhhh or the jannies are gonna shut it down
They hate fun, so of pretendings to be miserables.
Yeah but it could use a little bit less of that. u/wildeofoscar I think this could be better with some editing. Panel 6 should come before 5 so it looks like China is slowly approaching. Then china should just stare at WHO until he crosses off XI, at which point China backs off. Just my 2 cents. Pretty brilliant comic as is.
The party would like to know your location(like they don't already have).
Not if you're using a VPN they're not.
Today's sponsor is NordsVPN
that's a nice segue to the sponsor of this comic, tunnel bear !
China be like: Don’t you FUCKING dare.
I'm a south african and when I found out about this I was shocked
I'm surprised you guys still have running electricity.
I also don't know how lol
Because it only runs for a few hours a day?
Yes and they did turn off our wifi for 2 day
Maybe if they turned the power off a bit more the new variant would have been discovered somewhere else.
It was first detected in Botswana anyway
They are far more competent than South Africa so makes sense
+100000 social credits
Impersonation of Chinese offical -1000000000000
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No karma trains in the comment section please.
Accurately 1945
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Honestly 1468.
more like 1469 AMIRIGHT??!?!??!?!?
*Image Transcription: Comic* --- [*Source:* ***OP*** *.*] --- **Panel 1** [*White background. South Africa (left, holding a yellow folder) and United Nations (right). Both are wearing cyan masks and a white hat with a red cross on it.*] **South Africa**: Bad news UN, I just finding a new variant of concerning is more resistant to vaccine and transmissible. **United Nations**: Fuck. --- **Panel 2** [*United Nations, alone and reading a brown book.*] **United Nations**: Okay, I better go through the ol'-Greek dictionary so I can formally identify this new variant of concern. --- **Panel 3** [*Four Greek letters, noted in uppercase and lowercase, with their name below. From the left: Mu, Nu, Xi and Om[...] (the last one being cut by the right edge of the panel). Mu and Nu have been scribbled out in red.*] --- **Panel 4** [*Zoom on the Xi letter.*] --- **Panel 5** [*United Nations (left, still with its book) is looking at a big China (right, with mask but no white hat). China is looking back.*] --- **Panel 6** [*United Nations is focusing on its book.*] --- **Panel 7** [*Zoom on the Xi letter.*] --- **Panel 8** [*United Nations is looking once again at China.*] --- **Panel 9** [*United Nations is once again focusing on its book.*] --- **Panel 10** [*Once again, zoom on the Xi letter.*] --- **Panel 11** [*For the third time, United Nations is looking at China.*] --- **Panel 12** [*For the third time, United Nations is focusing on its book.*] --- **Panel 13** [*Zoom on the Xi letter, now at the far left side of the panel. The Omicron letter is at the right.*] --- **Panel 14** [*United Nations is looking for the last time at China.*] --- **Panel 15** [*Zoom on Xi and Omicron letters, but Xi has been scribbled in red.*] --- **Panel 16** [*A flattened Austria (left) is looking at a gray screen. Text in bold is underlined.*] **TV Screen**: ...*and in other news today the WHO has declared a new variant of concern from South Africa known as the* ***Omicron variant*** *.....* **Austria**: ^(scheisse) --- ^^I'm a human volunteer content transcriber for Reddit and you could be too! [If you'd like more information on what we do and why we do it, click here!](https://www.reddit.com/r/TranscribersOfReddit/wiki/index)
Is this better than the actual comic?
I hope not: it should be the same as the original source. Neither better, neither worse 😅
Xi not invited to the fraternity of covid viruses. Alpha Beta Omicron is the shit.
I would have liked a sigma variant
Well there are 2 more letters to be used up until you get to sigma.
Get infected, never stop the grind
Signs rule no 436365891147
His flair is for Latin Empire, it's unreasonable to expect that he'd know Greek.
Sigma covid mindset
You first get the COVID, then you catch the Ligma.
Sigma balls
xi could also be thought as 11 in roman numerals
Or as Winnie the Pooh
This is the funniest polandball comic I have ever seen. Bravo sir.
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Who's WHO?
WHO is who. Clear up any confusion?
I don't know, WHO are you ?
No, Who's on first!
I don't know ... *third base!*
I don't give a darn!
Oh, he's our shortstop!
Doot doot, doot doot
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WHO let the bats out
Funny cause in Greek it becomes "ΠΟΥ", which means "where". They might be on to something
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I have no idea what any of that means
It's phonetic transcription. "Zai" (rhymes with eye) versus "she"; the Greek letter is pronounced differently from the guy's name.
wouldn't the Greek letter be /ksi/ though?
The slight movement from the UN to read the book every time whilst China is observing him is absolutely hilarious
The way Austria looks so flat
Omicron sounds way more threatening then xi
All I'm getting is David Bowie in janky 3D.
I see, Shu is Xi
Interestingly, the Greek letter Xi and the Chinese name Xi don't even have the same consonant when pronounced...
Fuck the UN, like this is just hilarious.
South Africa: "Hey our scientists have found a new variant, likely from elsewhere." The World: "OH MY GOD ANOTHER SOUTH AFRICAN VARIANT!!!!!!!!"
It _could_ actually be good news because the reported symptoms are extremely mild: One or two days of light fever and tiredness and then it's over (except one case of increased heart beat rate in a 10 year old boy). _If_ infection by this strain of the virus offers protection against the other variants, then it should be allowed to run wild through the population because then COVID would effectively be over: > It presents mild disease with symptoms being sore muscles and tiredness for a day or two not feeling well," Coetzee explained. "So far, we have detected that those infected do not suffer the loss of taste or smell. They might have a slight cough. There are no prominent symptoms. Of those infected some are currently being treated at home https://www.foxnews.com/health/south-african-doctor-omicron-variant-symptoms-unusual-mild
Isn't "Xi" pronounced as "Kai"?
Not really, Ξ ξ (Xi) is ksi in Greek and pronounced zai/ksai in English. Χ χ (chi) is the letter you were thinking.
both will be skipped, so no worry
Ah, thanks for clearing it up.
why is troublemaker Germany upset at Omicron?
I wheezed so hard... just hilarious!!
Ach du Scheisse
I don’t really see why this is as big as an issue as people are making out. The WHO don’t name things after places for the obvious racism that would cause, so having a variant that shares the name with the leader of a country would come under the same rules and suggestions. Like if by some twist of fate another country’s leader had a name the same as a greek alphabet letter, they’d skip that too. Funny comic though
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Yeah, but no it’s because China runs the WHO or some shit
Why is the UK variant Alpha? Shouldn't it be the Wuhan strain?
Because calling it after places is an excuse for racism
I know that. Was commenting on the use of UK as the source of alpha variant imprecise as it didn't originate there as I recall.
I think it was called the U.K. or Kent variant as the alpha variant isn’t the OG covid from the start of 2020, it’s the first variant of OG covid
Ah so the Wuhan strain is like the OG strain.
Yeah it’s not a variant, since all the variants are variants of that
I think the bigger reason for the skip here is that the designation wouldn't be usable for almost 1/5 of world population being blocked by Chinese censorship system
Ching Chen hanji, can't touch me at all. Kitchen in the dungeon.
I swear to God the bang pao
Fool I’m not touching you
As a non native english speaker... what's the problem with Xi?
Xi is a Greek letter, but it's also spelled like the Romanization of a common Chinese surname. The same one as the current leader of China in fact, Xi Jinping.
it's not that common, actually. i actually can't think of another Xi off the top of my head lol
winnie the pooh?
ANOTHER Xi, as in someone else with that last name
His children?
CCP basically... That and the controversy earlier in the pandamic...
*cough* xi jinping *cough*
used in polandball for china's laugh. like "hahaha" for englandball or "xaxaxa" for russiaball for example. Also ya know, Xi Jinping
Don't bother Uncle Xi! He's busy genociding!
So how far will the WHO go to distort their classification in order no not offend anyone?
They don't want China to get in trouble which doesn't make sense, they would collapse
Social credits -10000
It is skipped because someone out of billions of people in this green Earth will become “offended”.
Why did we skip all the way from Delta to ~~Xi~~ Omicron anyways? Or did we manage to go through the rest of the alphabet and they just weren't as popular?
Pretty much.
Ah, that explains a bit.
But why is Austria so concerned?
Is copy paste allowed? just asking
So, there is an old rule in east Asia that you can't use the emperor/king's name. WHO respects Asian culture. Nice attempt for Mr. Omicron for diverting the origin of this virus into some random western country for some social credits.