Omega variant

plural Omega variants · alternative omega variant · alternative Omega Variant

1. neologismA hypothetical, extremely virulent strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.

   According to preliminary findings from Japan's Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Omega variant is a mutant strain of the Coronavirus, further reports suggest this new strain is extremely infectious.

   2022 February 17, YP, “Omega Variant A Global Pandemic EAS”, in YouTube

   3 more examples

   An athlete responded that they had had the Alpha variant in early 2021, a variant primarily found in the United Kingdom. The last responses had one athlete answer with the Omega variant and another athlete answer they had “the worst one.”

   2023, Liam John Keane, Learning from Athletes’ Experiences with Long COVID to Improve the Recovery Process for Elite Athletes Returning to Sport, Master's thesis, Dartmouth College

   This study ostensibly examines a purported novel SARS-CoV-2 variant, dubbed the Omega variant, showcasing 31 unique mutations in the S gene region. However, the real undercurrent of this narrative is a demonstration of the ease with which AI, specifically ChatGPT-4, can fabricate convincing yet entirely fictional scientific data.

   2024 February 4, Malik Sallam, Rainer Roehrig, Behrus Puladi, “Navigating the Peril of Generated Alternative Facts: A ChatGPT-4 Fabricated Omega Variant Case as a Cautionary Tale in Medical Misinformation”, in arXiv.org

   Participants were asked to imagine a new variant of Covid‐19 had been discovered, known as the Omega variant. Participants were told that, unlike previous variants, the Omega variant can affect teenagers.

   2026, Aqsa Farooq, Adam Rutland, Luke McGuire, “The Role of Harm, Misinformer Age, and Information Scrutiny on Adolescents’ Trust in Misinformation”, in Media and Communication, volume 14, →DOI