Competition to rename swine flu virus
Spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO) Fiona Fleck has clarified reports about the swine flu, by stating that the only reason the new virus was called swine flu was because “the largest component of this new virus was actually swine flu virus.”
As demand for pig products drops, WHO have announced that the swine flu is a misnomer as it does not affect pigs and has not been found in pigs. “Pigs haven’t transmitted it, as far as we know,” said Fleck, although research has not been conducted to refute the link with pigs.
Fleck admitted the name ’swine flu’ has led some to avoid pig products, which has already had an adverse impact on the livelihoods of those in the pig industry.
She suggested they should hold a public competition to name the A(H1N1) virus: “The scientific name is not very user friendly. I think it would help all of us if we could find a name that’s easier to say, that’s more popular.”
Do you think a naming competition is insensitive? Ridiculous? A step in the right direction? Tell us below.
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What an absolute and utter joke! Fiona Fleck is an idiot! Maybe it should be called the “Fleck virus.”
Is this in bad taste or what?! I hope she lost her job.
that’s crazy!!
it’s a pandemic and their holding a competition to name it!?!?!
WTF!?!
why not call Porcine Flu like Avian Flu?
or maybe if it gets really bad, it will become known as the “pink plague”, like the black plague, but pink like a piggy.
Step back!!! Sue Trent and her band of political censors are in town, ready to purge the world of all its fun and light heartedness. Of course there’s not going to be a competition to name the virus. You guys need to consider the context of what’s reported before you mount your high horses and gallop off to save the day. There was no way she would have been serious when making that comment.
I think it should be left as is…..keeps us from talking about the recession!!!!
So Chris from Yowie Bay, you are saying that the World Health Organisation spokesperson was joking. Joking about a pandemic!
What is worse? Joking about a pandemic or running a competition to name it?
Are you serious?
Bazza, mate. You need totake a load off. Yes, that’s what I was implying, the WHO making a joke. But if you actually bothered to read the article and comprehend what was said instead of rushing over the detail, she wasn’t making a joke about the pandemic itself, but about the naivety of some people, and about their tendency to over react. I’m betting, you’re the type of person who could benefit from a name change.