Patients with extreme cases may need respirators and oxygen to help them breathe, often for weeks. shortness of breath. In the case of the coronavirus pandemic, N95 masks for health care workers are in critically short supply. Before reaching places like the US, coronavirus was considered an epidemic in China's Hubei province, and then in the country itself. Comments are welcome while open. On the graph, it's represented as a steep curve. On March 16, six counties in the San Francisco Bay Area ordered residents to "shelter in place," a directive aimed at keeping people in their homes for three weeks, with the order widened to the whole state a few days later. SARS-CoV-2, then referred to simply as novel coronavirus, was first reported to the WHO on Dec. 31, 2019, days after the first patients were hospitalized in the Chinese city of Wuhan. How do we do that? Here is a glossary of phrases and terms related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some articles in medical journals use a lesser-known term for the virus: SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). Read more at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. This can be done one of two ways. The PCR test looks for telltale markers distinct to this viral strain. Learn the most common vocabulary and expressions related to the coronavirus COVID-19. The disease brings on flulike symptoms, but … A testing protocol to identify if you've contracted the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. But be careful. We’re rounding out 2020, and the coronavirus continues to shape our lives and language. The acronym, provided by the World Health Organization, stands for "coronavirus disease 2019," referring to … Read on for a few explanations. To be tested for the virus, health-care professionals need to collect samples. If adequate measures are taken to avoid the spread of infection and fewer patients require medical care, the curve on the graph isn't as sharp, and there would be a better chance that patients can receive the necessary care. COVID-19 is the specific illness related to the current epidemic. Add some “good” to your morning and evening. CDC releases new guidelines, How to find and get spare COVID-19 vaccines near you, Herd immunity: We're getting closer, but have a ways to go, first reported to the WHO on Dec. 31, 2019, More details about coronavirus testing here, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Where can you go in coronavirus lockdown? It stands for "coronavirus disease 2019." Self-isolation applies only to people who are known to be infected, according to some experts. These words are quickly becoming part of our daily terminology as the disease COVID-19, which has now killed more than 74,000 people around the globe, continues to spread. Community spread refers to people in the same location contracting the virus without an obvious chain of events. The hope of flattening the curve is to reduce fatalities by buying hospitals time to treat and scientists time to discover therapies and create a vaccine. If not, this guide will help you brush up on the ever-changing lexicon you need to get along in a coronavirus world. The exceptions are the abbreviations of novel coronavirus – nC… The terms are often used interchangeably. Epidemic is used when the number of infections rises above what is normally expected in a certain population or region. People who are considered to look Chinese have been subjected to COVID-19-related verbal and physical attacks in many other countries, often by people accusing them of transmitting the virus. Stay informed on coronavirus updates and developments, help your friends and neighbors dispel myths about the virus and use these 10 practical tips to avoid coronavirus when you need to leave the house. COVID-19 is the name of the disease that the novel coronavirus causes. We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read. Read more: Where can you go in coronavirus lockdown? If effective, they could potentially be used to treat more patients in need of ventilator support. ... people and things into their vocabulary. They learn and review related vocabulary and discuss measures to … N95 respirator masks are effective at blocking the transmission of coronavirus, but currently in short supply. An outbreak is basically the same thing as an epidemic, although the term is often used to cover a more limited geographic area, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). WATCH | How does coronavirus quarantine work? Homemade coverings (above) are regarded as effective at protecting other people from large droplets ejected through coughing and sneezing. A disease that is endemic is one that re-emerges on a seasonal basis, occurring at a predictable rate in a certain area or among a set population, such as malaria. First is contact identification. COVID-19 is thought to have originated in the Hubei Province in China. The WHO says it's avoiding that term, since it could be confused with the SARS outbreak in 2003. This is the method preferred by the World Health Organization in testing for COVID-19. Other varieties, including surgical masks and homemade, are not proven to be effective at blocking the smallest particles that could carry the virus, which can remain in the air for up to 30 minutes. Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. A city or country where an outbreak is most pronounced. COVID-19: COVID-19 stands for novel coronavirus disease 2019, which refers to the year of its initial detection. Coronavirus has given us new words to live by. To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). This can result in shortages of protective equipment, hospital beds or even doctors and nurses. How to talk to family and friends who ignore physical distancing appeals, Physical distancing versus self-isolation: How they're different, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. This is what you can and can't do, also effective at destroying the virus' structure, Making your own hand sanitizer and other cleaning agents, friends and neighbors dispel myths about the virus. For example, many governments are asking travelers returning from afflicted areas to self-quarantine for two weeks. It's believed that the virus originated in a shoehorn bat before being transmitted to another animal, and then to humans. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. Know the terms: A complete COVID-19 pandemic glossary. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US authority on health policy related to infectious diseases, has issued a recommendation for people to voluntarily wear face coverings in public when staying six feet from others outside your household is not an option. If you have N95 or surgical masks at home, the medical community is asking for donations to help curb the shortage of masks. COVID-19. cough. The World Health Organization stressed on March 25 that it is no longer using "social distancing" in its updates. Related: COVID-19 Crisis: Ways to Help in All 50 States. As a result, there is no way to control the spread. Here's more on pandemics versus epidemics. WHO officially declared the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 a pandemic on March 11. SARS-CoV-2 is highly contagious, spreading through "respiratory droplets" (a cough, sneeze, transfer of saliva) and contaminated objects, like a door handle or other shared surfaces. COVID-19 is the name of the disease that the novel coronavirus causes. Grammar & Usage. A look at COVID-19 vaccinations in Canada on Tuesday, March 9, 2021 Roger Mudd, longtime network TV newsman, dies at 93 New Brunswick is recording its 29th death related … Tests kits for COVID-19 that you can administer at home are being explored by the medical community and the FDA. While we once hoped we could toss the year’s coronacoinages out the door, that’s clearly not going to be the case right now: the coronavirus continues to surge to new levels.. The fear is that fatalities will occur when patient need for ventilators outstrips the supply. People who are quarantined could be healthy and are not necessarily infected. Self-isolation vs. quarantine vs. shelter-in-place. Coronavirus is used as a kind of shorthand these days in some media reports, and the new strain is more accurately called the novel coronavirus. BiPap is short for bilevel positive airway pressure, and is similar to CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure. While coronavirus is an umbrella term, COVID-9 … A ventilator is a machine that helps a person breathe by expanding their lungs and supplying them with oxygen when it's too difficult to do so on their own. Previously, I have written about Surgeon General Jerome Adams’ careful word choice to blame COVID-19 racial disparities on a “social predisposition” instead of “structural inequities.” Days later, I watched people react to calls for “liberation" from an unjust lockdown as others championed the “liberty” to exert choice in adhering to their state’s guidelines. Presumptive cases are not. Learn more. It involves three steps. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. Want to know how to flatten the curve? Once two tests have come back positive, it is a confirmed case. Coronaviruses are a common cause of colds and other upper respiratory infections, but this pandemic involves a strain of coronavirus that is new to the world's human population. COVID-19 . COVID-19 is a respiratory illness, and coronavirus spreads through vaporized droplets. However, there is another method of collection available to health-care professionals: an oropharyngeal swab. The illness caused by the virus is called COVID-19, also referred to by the World Health Organization (WHO) as coronavirus disease 2019. Without mitigation, social distancing and all the rest, epidemiologists and other health experts predict a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases that looks like a tall, narrow spike on a graph. Some provincial labs, such as those in Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec and Alberta, conduct the second test, whereas other provinces need to send a sample to the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg. Local and national governments have responded by limiting gatherings of people, ranging from no more than 10 people to 50 or 250 or even 1,000. This lesson is for everyone who wants to follow the news and talk about events in English. This phrase acknowledges that at pandemic proportions, nations can't contain the spread of coronavirus. The riskiest surfaces for coronavirus and how to clean them. People who largely stay inside their own home, hotel room or other space are said to self-quarantine or self-isolate. In the case of COVID-19, it means that an infected person has not come into known contact with anyone who is infected and that the source of infection is unknown. Virus (noun) A living thing, ... COVID-19 (noun) The official name for the novel coronavirus disease that emerged in China in 2019. The benefit of being able to find out if you acquired the virus without leaving the house -- potentially exposing others or yourself -- is appealing. If they are considered high risk, they may also be advised to isolate themselves. Not sure what SARS-CoV-2 is, or the significance of nonmedical masks, PPE and ventilators? The World Health Organization, often called WHO, is the global body that's become a clearinghouse of information, research and safety guidelines. Positive, or confirmed, cases are identified with lab tests. The outbreak in China had an early R0 value estimate of 1.4 to 3.9. This test works by identifying the virus' DNA through a process called PCR, or polymerase chain reaction. Read this. https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/coronavirus-words-guide It is a priority for CBC to create a website that is accessible to all Canadians including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. An epidemic refers to a more localized region. The key takeaway is that the material you're using to cover your nose and mouth is not a medical-grade mask needed by public health care workers. R0 is only used when everyone is vulnerable to a disease, meaning no one has had the disease before, and therefore has not been vaccinated. Key Vocab For COVID-19: From Asymptomatic To Zoonotic : Goats and Soda The pandemic has brought many new terms into daily usage.