Few issues are more sensitive in China today than referring to COVID-19 as the “Wuhan Virus” or “Chinese Virus” as some U.S. politicians and right-wing journalists choose to do. It miffs the Chinese to no end. If you want to get an immediate shout-down on social media (which I don’t recommend) just start using those references in a post and within minutes the online mobs will descend upon you with fury.

The Chinese government passionately defends the World Health Organization’s decision to avoid the use of geographic references when naming or referring to specific viruses. But not so much apparently when those diseases either don’t involve people or, more importantly, China.