Hate for people based on variant

[allmixedup12]

Before I start, for context I am a mixed race brit with British-Indian parents. I live in London and think it is an incredible place to be able to live and work.

Here is my issue - My father recently died of COVID19 in India, so I rushed from the UK to Delhi to be with my mom. It was sudden and devastating, and we are slowly trying to heal. However, we are grateful he did not suffer for long and have tried to make sense of it all. The situation in the country is truly appalling with so many senseless deaths. I am with my mother as long as it will take to help her heal and then return to the UK. Dont worry I have already recovered from COVID and wont pose a risk to anyone back home!

However, I have recently noticed a trend in the UK media which I find very disturbing and it is making me very uncomfortable to read some articles. Soon after the pandemic took force in India in April, the UK government put India on the red list, which I guess was understandable to protect the public health. UK was one of the first countries to do this, well ahead of the US and many european countries. So while the UK media goes to town on Johnson and co, they were reasonably fast compared to most others.

However, i note that my iphone news feed from most major news outlets - BBC, The telegraph and guardian - have a constant stream of articles about "indian variant" - the tone of many articles smacks of racism to me and it is really bothering me.

Travel restrictions aside, more recently the amount of media noise and articles quoting the "indian variant" as the source of all evil in the UK seems to be rife. Little known detail is that the increase in many parts of the UK has nothing to do with this variant as clarified here - www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-variants-genomically-confirmed-case-numbers/variants-distribution-of-cases-data

This feels very much like a vitrolic building up against Indian-origin people to me. I guess chinese/east asian origin people may have felt this way in Feb/March 20.

Sure, there is a variant and it was first detected in India. But there is so much media reporting which constantly keeps talking the variant as being Indian, it is almost as if the Indians all got together and came up with a variant to make the worlds life a misery (rest assured it is hurting people in India more than anyone else).

The WHO have also cautioned against naming variants in this manner because it is accusatory to the country where it is first detected - it could easily have been imported into the country from elsewhere.

On top of this, why call the variants as "Indian" or "Brazilian" but the virus is not called "Chinese". Two wrongs do not make a right, so i do not think it should be the Chinese virus, but I also think "Indian variant" demonizes Indians, "Brazilian variant" demonizes Brazilians. I am also curious why the variants detected in the UK are named according to local areas such as "Kent" but not british. Ironically, I live in Kent.

There is also no sympathy for British citizens who have ties to India and who have no choice but to travel to India to fulfil their duties as sons/daughters/grandchildren/nieces/nephews etc. So many people went to India to care/grieve for their dying/dead family members - and the media seems to be baying for blood as if to never let those brits ever come back to the UK and close the shutters. See article below as context

www.lbc.co.uk/news/revealed-over-100-direct-flights-from-india-landed-in-uk-since-country-was-place/

Sure many brits may not have international ties, but so many people who live in the UK do - it is such an extraordinarily global place. In this day and age, how can people act as if having the necessity to travel abroad is frivolous should somehow be stopped/punished and it is somehow bad...brits do not come in one shape and size i.e. white british with all family in buckhingamshire ffs

Just feel completely disillusioned. is this how you all feel about the news reporting/general feel on social media or AIBU?

I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. My condolences to you and your family.

I think ., it's a minefield really. The variants are named for where they were first identified. I'm from Yorkshire and there's currently talk of a Yorkshire variant. The problem is the technical name for these variants is long and messy so to identify them better to the public they're given the names you see in use in the media,

The problem is, the borders to the U.K. should have been closed last year when the pandemic first hit. It's unfortunate for people who have family in other countries, but that is the risk people take when they quite rightly wish to spread out across the world.

The UK government was slow to put India on the red list. Pakistan and Bangladesh were on the list earlier. The UK government in general is only now from 1 June separating arrivals from red list countries in passport queues at Heathrow Airport. Up to date test and trace data was not provided for three weeks to local authorities in parts of England where there is a high population of people of Indian heritage.

The UK government has been slow to react throughout and in my estimation at least 10,000 more deaths have occurred in the UK than would have happened if there had been prompt action. More still if there was proper border control, a working test, trace and isolate scheme, and proper enforcement of whatever restrictions have been in place at any one time.

My condolences to you for the death of your father. I agree that variants may be referred to as first detected in a particular place, but not named after them.

I'm sure the reports were similar for the Kent variant.

YANBU. My condolences to your family. My father died abroad from Covid in December but we did not go because the vaccine was not out and he expressly made it clear we were not to risk ourselves.

We are now all fully vaccinated and will be going in July.

I absolutely agree with everything you've said. Of course you had to go and be with your family at this sad time, most people would do the same but it's all to easy to judge when you are not actually in that position.

The media have been scaremongering and sensationalising covid from the start. They've fuelled the divide between people who don't want the vaccine and ones that have had it, people who want to go on holiday and those who don't, the ones that have been to pubs and the ones that haven't. It's very interesting that Trump was judged harshly for calling covid the Chinese virus because it would fuel racism but its perfectly acceptable to have an Indian strain (I'm no Trump supporter but find the hypocrisy laughable).

I wish they’d use the actual names of variants, rather than ascribing them to countries of (perceived, because they may well have originated elsewhere) origin. I think it isn’t in itself racist, but is easily used to fuel racist ideas by gobshites so amounts to the same thing.

Also feel weird about the ‘Kent’ variant not being the U.K. variant but can’t articulate why.

I’m so sorry about your dad.

YABU op. Worldwide, the Kent variant tends to be called the UK variant. British media call it the Kent variant as it started in Kent for it. Same as the new Yorkshire variant.

www.cnbc.com/2021/02/02/covid-mutation-of-most-concern-has-occurred-in-uk-variant.html

edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-vaccine-updates-02-04-21/h_3d96e0765677dcf6617fd51dbfa8efce

www.foxnews.com/health/uk-coronavirus-variant-now-most-common-lineage-us-walensky

directorsblog.nih.gov/2021/03/30/infections-with-u-k-variant-b-1-1-7-have-greater-risk-of-mortality/

www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/covid19/91202

In India, it is also referred to as the UK variant:
m.timesofindia.com/city/bengaluru/three-infected-are-from-bluru-under-treatment/articleshow/80018688.cms?frmapp=yes

In Indian media they refer to Indian variant by the local area where it emerged eg the 'Bengal variant'
m.timesofindia.com/india/explained-what-is-the-bengal-variant-and-does-it-matter/articleshow/82229625.cms?frmapp=yes

I'm sorry you feel the way you do but I'm not sure what evidence there is that the variant names are racist.

That should read 'started in Kent for us".

The Kent variant has killed thousands of people across Europe because of Boris's fuckwittery. The Indian variant is now spreading across U.K. for the same reason. There's nothing racist about this. Do not travel and spread it further should be the message. Sorry about your dad, but I have missed many funerals I couldn't get to because it's not feasible to travel.

Most of Europe called the Kent variant the English variant, can’t say anyone was bothered. Sorry to read about your family but calling the variant ‘Indian’ is definitely not racist!

Jenala, I agree that the variant discovered in Kent was referred to as UK Variant, and to my mind that is equally wrong - and it did annoy me then too as UK has one of the best genomic sequencing capabilities in the world - it is crazy to label the variant as UK variant, just because it was first found here. Worldwide media i.e. CNN, CNBC are equally superficial/hypocritical as mainstream UK media so no surprises there

I am talking about the UK media specifically here as it is my home - and the barrage of media hype recently with the Indian variant. I dont understand why it should be so. In fact those who seek to change this culture are ridiculed. see www.spectator.co.uk/article/sturgeon-s-indian-variant-hypocrisy

By the location based logic covid19 should be called the Chinese virus...which is clearly insane, at least from my vantage point

Many people have missed funerals in their own country, it seems wrong during this time to be able to travel to another country to attend one tbh. I honestly don't think travel to red ban countries should be happening at all. Germany has recently banned people from England from entering the country. I have family there but know I couldn't visit them now for any reason.

@UberMullet My mom and dad lived together for 50 years. I did not go to attend the funeral (his body was cremated before I could get there due to the covid infection). I went there because my mother has not lived independently before, she was also infected and down with covid alone in the house, and her husband had just died. it boggles my mind people still think this is somehow as situation where children have a choice to travel or not...

And based on this those returning from red list countries should be hung out to dry/flights banned? What insanity has come upon us...

I'm sorry for your loss OP.

I really dislike the naming of 'variants' anyway. Its just the virus mutating, as it was always going to do. The naming of these mutations makes me feel uncomfortable, without necessarily being able to put my finger on exactly why.

I guess I'm not sure how else it should be labelled? How does naming the country a variant emerged from = hate towards people from that country? Possibly some already racist people might use it, but they are already racist. It's not creating racists. Language has to be used to inform, and the longer numbered names for the variants are confusing for people to readily differentiate. Naming the country is a simple way to both identify a separate variant and where it is from - relevant because often countries with a new variant have a tough time, which makes the news, and also any future travel bans then also make sense. And also quite simply so people can be informed. Would it be better to keep it secret? There needs to be transparency around this as it affects literally all of us. And I'm sure I can't be the only one who hears a new country based variant and thinks some version of 'oh shit' in sympathy for the people of that country.

There's a barrage of coverage of it here because everyone is worried about the roadmap. There would be the same barrage of coverage whether the variant started in France, Iran, Canada or Russia.

It might not be right but it was the same with the Brazilian and the UK variant so I don't think you'll get much sympathy from a message board full of mainly people from the UK.

Spain was the only country in Europe free to report on the 1918 flu. Hence it became known as Spanish flu despite not originating from there!

I think youre being slightly UR but understandably so. As pps have said theres talk of the british variant amongst others overseas. Are you concerned about violence towards south asians in the uk increasing as a result? I dont blame you for that.

I do think the naming of variants is a bit shitty in terms of panic - it doesn't make the news how many new flu strains there are each year. But that's the nature of a novel disease sweeping the world I guess.

But OP it's been like that for countless thousands during the pandemic, people not allowed to be with loved ones in their final moments or to comfort family members after a loss. This isn't new nor is it only specific to Indian people.

@allmixedup12
This feels very much like a vitrolic building up against Indian-origin people to me. I guess chinese/east asian origin people may have felt this way in Feb/March 20...
...On top of this, why call the variants as "Indian" or "Brazilian" but the virus is not called "Chinese". Two wrongs do not make a right, so i do not think it should be the Chinese virus
Except it has been called the Chinese virus, publicly, loudly, broadcast across multiple media channels and accepted by lots of people - see the massive increase in hate crimes against East Asian people, I've followed news stories of attacks in the UK and US in particular.

I'm sorry for the loss of your father.

But I'm surprised that you only now notice the racist nature of much of the UK media's reporting.

I'm sorry for your loss. However what do you mean by this "Dont worry I have already recovered from COVID and wont pose a risk to anyone back home!"
You know that you can catch covid more than once?

You're not hung up to dry, you need to quarantine according the guidelines which from red list country involves extra restrictions. This is a global pandemic and no one is doing this for fun.

[quote allmixedup12]@UberMullet My mom and dad lived together for 50 years. I did not go to attend the funeral (his body was cremated before I could get there due to the covid infection). I went there because my mother has not lived independently before, she was also infected and down with covid alone in the house, and her husband had just died. it boggles my mind people still think this is somehow as situation where children have a choice to travel or not...

And based on this those returning from red list countries should be hung out to dry/flights banned? What insanity has come upon us...[/quote]
So you think people should be able to travel freely to and from countries with high levels of infection with variants that could potentially threaten our vaccination progress?

Whilst I'm sorry for your loss, I think flights to and from India should have been banned. You did have a choice and many people, from many different countries, have missed attending family funerals.
It doesn't matter what name is given to a variant; the fact is that Covid was rife in India, just as things were easing in this country.

covid19 should be called the Chinese virus...which is clearly insane, at least from my vantage point

I don’t think it’s that insane 🤷🏻‍♀️ I mean I’m not wandering around calling it the Chinese virus myself, but that’s where it came from. What’s the issue with speaking about that?

I’m sorry about your dad, that’s awful