What's in a name? WHO revising naming system for COVID variants to avoid stigmatizing nations where they were first spotted

COVID-19 variants are to be known by letters of the Greek alphabet to avoid stigmatizing nations where they were first detected, the World Health Organization announced Monday.

The new system applies to "variants of concern" -- the most troubling -- and the second-level "variants of interest." There are currently four variants of concern being tracked. "They will not replace existing scientific names, but are aimed to help in public discussion," said Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's COVID-19 technical lead.