Delta Air Lines refuses to use the name of the delta COVID-19 variant: 'We just call it the variant'

[dalton99a]

https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-refuses-to-use-name-of-new-covid-19-variant-2021-7

Delta Air Lines refuses to use the name of the delta COVID-19 variant: 'We just call it the variant'
Thomas Pallini
Jul 15, 2021, 2:05 PM

Delta Air Lines has joined Corona beer in the exclusive club of brands that have been wronged by the naming of the novel coronavirus and its variants.

Among the latest variants of the novel coronavirus is B.1.617.2 variant, better known as the "delta" variant. The World Health Organization began giving variants official names based on letters of the Greek alphabet to reduce stigmatizing names based on country of origin.

The delta variant, for example, was first discovered in India and has been known for being more easily transmissible than predecessors, even among vaccinated individuals. Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former head of the Food and Drug Administration, believes the Delta variant will peak in late September, as Insider's Dr. Catherine Schuster-Bruce reported, as it's now the dominant strain in the US.

But Delta Air Lines isn't amused at the irony and its chief executive officer, Ed Bastian, told the Wall Street Journal that they don't call the delta variant by its WHO-given name. "We just call it the variant," Bastian said.

[2naSalit]

1. Can't really blame them...

At least they aren't denying that it exists.

[moonscape]

3. I don't blame them either, but

from the headline I was half expecting an Onion poece.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

2. I was thinking about that just the other day!

Wondering if just their name could hurt business, which is ridiculous.

[GulfCoast66]

4. I know someone who works at an airport.

People are calling asking if they can change their flights to another airline rather than Delta.

He has to explain the difference between the virus varient and the airline.

The stupid is out there.

[Demovictory9]

9. omg

[Celerity]

5. hold my beer, Delta

[radius777]

6. I do think consideration should be taken

in the naming of viruses/phenomena/etc as to avoid damage to any particular business/brand/sector.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

7. Oh, dear lord.

Kind of the definition of a snowflake.

[Buns_of_Fire]

8. "With a name like Smucker's, it's got to be good."

I remember SNL devolving this concept all the way to "With a name like 'Dog Vomit Monkey Pus' it's got to be good!"

Now imagine the hospitality companies poring over contracts to see how much it'll cost them to have the word "Trump" chiseled off the front of their hotel.

[tirebiter]

10. To a friend in Sacramento. Her DJ name was Delta Lady.