Ventures in the vocabulary of viral variation: An analysis of SARS-CoV-2 variant naming and renaming in Australian news media

Abstract

In May 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a new naming system for variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This naming system uses letters of the Greek alphabet to identify variants otherwise demarcated by formal scientific terminology and names that reference geographic locations. The WHO recommended that these letter names be used by media outlets and national authorities, to counter the confusion and stigmatisation perceived to characterise communication previously. Yet uncertainty persisted as to the uptake of new names—and so too the realisation of intervention intentions. In the context of infectious disease outbreaks and beyond, history and existing literature emphasise the social significance of communication patterns and efforts to engender language change. Further, the communication constructs of naming and framing emerge as influential elements, as does news media communication as a medium. To characterise communication about SARS-CoV-2 variants at the time of the WHO intervention and in turn analyse the implications of associated change in terms of WHO intentions, a quantitative content analysis was conducted. The results demonstrate uptake of Greek letter names, but also nuances to that dynamic. Divergence in naming and framing patterns between media companies was identified, as was the potential for intended outcomes of de-stigmatisation and communication clarity to be compromised. These results highlight the susceptibility of the intervention to communication-mediated interference and highlight opportunities for the refinement of future naming (and renaming) efforts. This study also provides a foundation for future research into the effects of communication change on stigmatisation outcomes, and inquiry into the nature and nuances of science communication in news media coverage. Considering ongoing real-world developments, this study inspires further research into infectious disease naming and associated language change.