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Geographic bias in virus naming: Lessons from coronavirus show it's better to act early
"China virus," the Chinese virus—at the start of the 2020 pandemic, this epithet was often encountered in the media. The use of geographically based labels to define the disease (COVID-19) and the virus causing it (SARS-CoV-2) had significant consequences on public opinion, fueling and amplifying—sometimes with very serious outcomes—prejudices against specific people and countries, accused of having a causal role in spreading the contagion.
"China virus," the Chinese virus—at the start of the 2020 pandemic, this epithet was often encountered in the media. The use of geographically based labels to define the disease (COVID-19) and the virus causing it (SARS-CoV-2) had significant consequences on public opinion, fueling and amplifying—sometimes with very serious outcomes—prejudices against specific people and countries, accused of having a causal role in spreading the contagion.
