Omicron is not an illness!

Sausagis · 21/12/2021 20:14

Who pissed on your chips?

Dozer · 21/12/2021 20:14

Omicron sounds pleasingly like a transfomers or he man villain. More satisfying to say than boring old covid.

SergeiL · 21/12/2021 20:15

And relax!

ANameChangeAgain · 21/12/2021 20:16

It doesn't matter, does it. They probably just mean they have a very mild form of Covid, so are assuming its Omicron. Its easier, though incorrect, to just say Omicron.

LalalalalalaLand123 · 21/12/2021 20:17

Okayyyyyyyyyy

FlamesEmbersAshes · 21/12/2021 20:17

You seem very het up about this….

KeyErro · 21/12/2021 20:18

Wait until Pi comes along...

Original poster

CommonRoom · 21/12/2021 20:18

Covid is so 2020. Omicron sounds much more sinister, sexy and science fictiony and will get you attention. Everyone wants the latest thing.

Thing is though, anybody telling you they have it is almost certainly lying or really ignorant.

OP posts:

Didiusfalco · 21/12/2021 20:18

I think people know that. In the scheme of things, when you think about it - does it really matter?

MamaWeasel · 21/12/2021 20:19

Bet you're relieved to get that off your chest.

hivemindneeded · 21/12/2021 20:19

OP you do realise than language is mutable and one of the commonest adoptions of new terminology is to move from the general name to a specific and vice versa. So starting to call Covid Omicron is a very normal usage than has been happening single verbalisation began.

Have a sherry!

LynetteScavo · 21/12/2021 20:20

Omicron sounds less sinister to me...Everyone I know who probably has omicron is tripple jabbed and living their best lift in isolation. Yes, the Christmas they had planned is stuffed but they all feel perfectly fine.

Clam down OP.

Original poster

CommonRoom · 21/12/2021 20:22

I do know that language is mutable (I teach linguistics). I guess it's a bit like calling a vacuum cleaner a hoover. I understand that people are using omicron as a synonym for covid. BUT, in answer to the question ' you have covid, is it omicron?' the answer has to be 'I don't know!' because most people truthfully have no idea.

OP posts:

UnmentionedElephantDildo · 21/12/2021 20:23

The virus is covid!

No it isn't - the virus is SARS-COV2

Covid-19 is the name of the disease, named by WHO, meaning 'coronavirus disease'
www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical-guidance/naming-the-coronavirus-disease-(covid-2019)-and-the-virus-that-causes-it

Omicron is a variant of covid. All virus have variants

No it's the given name for the B.1.1.529 variant of SARS-COV2

Duchess379 · 21/12/2021 20:25

Time to open the Sherry, me thinks!

FlamesEmbersAshes · 21/12/2021 20:27

I think you need a mince pie and a sit down OP.

santaclothes · 21/12/2021 20:28

@UnmentionedElephantDildo

The virus is covid!

No it isn't - the virus is SARS-COV2

Covid-19 is the name of the disease, named by WHO, meaning 'coronavirus disease'
www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical-guidance/naming-the-coronavirus-disease-(covid-2019)-and-the-virus-that-causes-it

Omicron is a variant of covid. All virus have variants

No it's the given name for the B.1.1.529 variant of SARS-COV2

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 21/12/2021 20:28

@UnmentionedElephantDildo

The virus is covid!

No it isn't - the virus is SARS-COV2

Covid-19 is the name of the disease, named by WHO, meaning 'coronavirus disease'
www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical-guidance/naming-the-coronavirus-disease-(covid-2019)-and-the-virus-that-causes-it

Omicron is a variant of covid. All virus have variants

No it's the given name for the B.1.1.529 variant of SARS-COV2

👀

icedcoffees · 21/12/2021 20:29

@UnmentionedElephantDildo

The virus is covid!

No it isn't - the virus is SARS-COV2

Covid-19 is the name of the disease, named by WHO, meaning 'coronavirus disease'
www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical-guidance/naming-the-coronavirus-disease-(covid-2019)-and-the-virus-that-causes-it

Omicron is a variant of covid. All virus have variants

No it's the given name for the B.1.1.529 variant of SARS-COV2

I think I love you

bananasinchristmaspyjamas · 21/12/2021 20:31

Oh my goodness.

Is it actually called COVID-19 because it originated in 2019?

LynxGiftsetAndSocks · 21/12/2021 20:32

oh thank GOD you came along to set us all straight OP!!!!

jeez

Shmithecat2 · 21/12/2021 20:33

@CommonRoom

People on MN are claiming they have omicron, or their DH/DCs have omicron or asking if someone else has omicron. Omicron is not a virus. The virus is covid! Omicron is a variant of covid. All virus have variants. Flu has new ones all the time, but we don't use the variant name, we still call it flu.

Also, LFTs and PCRs are tests to detect COVID. In the results you will only find out if you have COVID or not. The omicron variant is something that labs and researchers can detect and they are compiling statistics about its spread but these results are not being given to individuals as a matter of course. Simple common sense would tell you this. The LFTs and PCRs that people are doing regularly are COVID tests and the results are positive/negative for COVID. There is no mention in these results of omicron.

Unclench. Do you think you're telling us things we don't know?

Original poster

CommonRoom · 21/12/2021 20:33

My point is that the regular LFT and PCR results do not tell you what variant you have, so if you say you have omicron you are not being truthful. You can't possibly know if it's omicron. Indeed it's likely that a certain proportion of people will already be infected with the new variant, whatever that might be, or might be called. Pi, querty, radox...

OP posts:

Hospedia · 21/12/2021 20:33

Yes.

LynxGiftsetAndSocks · 21/12/2021 20:34

even though it appears you DIDNT set us straight and you are actually WRONG...oh dear i,'m cringing for you!