This is the Guardian.

Today, how worried should we be about the new COVID variant

that's spreading across the world?

The variant initially was called B.1.1.529,

which I think we can all agree is something of a mouthful.

So now it's known as Omicron.

The World Health Organization has been using the Greek alphabet

to name the variants of COVID,

and this is its 15th letter.

Omicron seems quite way down the alphabet,

but you've got to remember that there were variants

which have kind of cropped up,

but haven't sort of taken off.

Lambda and Mu variants.

You probably didn't hear about those strains of COVID-19,

but you will this one,

because it's been classified as a variant of concern.

This morning, another worrying new COVID variant

surging abroad,

scientists in South Africa identified the strain,

which has also been found in other Southern African countries

and has spread to Israel and Hong Kong.

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