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if..fish..had..wings

(663 posts)
Tue May 12, 2020, 12:21 PM May 2020

It is not the coronavirus [View all]

I'm sorry, but it bothers me.
You cannot catch the coronavirus. No one has the coronavirus.

When the virus currently spreading across the planet first arose back in December it was referred to as a novel coronavirus. Coronavirus is the family of viruses it belongs to because of the shape of the virus. It was novel because is was new, that's what novel means. It was a new virus that fit into the family of corona(viruses).

Back in 2002 a coronavirus appeared that was quite deadly. The disease it caused was called SARS, that is, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and the virus that caused this disease was called SARS-CoV meaning Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - CoronaVirus.

This new virus we have now is similar, it is a coronavirus, and is similar to SARS-CoV and so was named SARS-CoV2.
The disease that people get when they get infected is call Covid-19, that is, Coronavirus disease 2019.

So, the disease is Covid-19, the virus that causes the disease is SARS-CoV2.

Do not call it the coronavirus.

(Maybe if we'd called it SARS 2 from the beginning people would be more wary of it)
.

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It is not the coronavirus [View all] if..fish..had..wings May 2020 OP
Thanks for explaining the etymology! CaliforniaPeggy May 2020 #1
I think that ship has sailed Blues Heron May 2020 #2
Son of Corona if..fish..had..wings May 2020 #5
I like using Covid-19.. stillcool May 2020 #3
SARS 2 - The Return of Orange Menace? Moostache May 2020 #4
At this point, don't think the nomenclature really matters. Kind of like HIV vs. AIDS. I suppose Hoyt May 2020 #6
Well if..fish..had..wings May 2020 #7
I'll add that to my list of things to be concerned about. Squinch May 2020 #8
Good to learn. Thank you. ancianita May 2020 #9
Don't forget if..fish..had..wings May 2020 #10
That would be interesting. Although rubes would probably say, "Obama." Hoyt May 2020 #13
Thanks for the great analysis! MoonRiver May 2020 #11
That's been like nails on a blackboard for me since the virus and disease were first named. Pacifist Patriot May 2020 #12
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