COVID-19: Your guide to all the key terms related to coronavirus

Since the time COVID-19 came to India, there have been new terms emerging every day. From pandemic, social distancing to quarantine, there are many more new terms which were introduced to us during this period.

Though government has been trying to make it as clear as possible for the general public, there are still a few doubts regarding some terms circulating around. To clear the clouds of confusion, here are some terms related to COVID-19, explained with their proper description and meaning:

It is high time people came to know that COVID-19 and coronavirus are not the same. While coronavirus is an umbrella term, COVID-9 is just a part of it. Coronavirus is actually a family of virus which already exists in the world and is known to cause diseases in humans. The entire family of coronaviruses is called Coronaviridae and some of them also cause minor diseases, such as common cold.

What the world is dealing with right now is a new type of coronavirus known as COVID-19. The technical term of the virus is SARS-CoV-2 and no one clearly knows what led to its emergence. The virus was first detected in 2019 in China with symptoms such as fever, cough and difficulty in breathing.

Incubation period refers to the time period required for the virus to develop symptoms in the body. In simpler terms, it is the time period between contracting a virus and emergence of its symptoms. The incubation period of COVID-19 is somewhere between 2-14 days.

A disease is termed as a pandemic when it spreads all over the globe and in most countries of the world. COVID-19 was declared as a pandemic by WHO (World Health Organization) after its spread was confirmed in more than 100 countries.

Community spread refers to a process when the virus starts spreading in the general masses. Community spread is detected when a confirmed case of the virus is found without having a known origin. It happens when a person without any travel history or interaction with any infected person contracts the virus.

It refers to the form of precaution of isolating yourself in case you detect symptoms or have returned from a trip abroad. While isolation is when someone who has been tested positive for COVID-19 is separated from other people in order to stop the spread of the virus.

It refers to a medical condition, in which a person has more than one disease at the same time. Cases of comorbidity have a higher risk of turning sensitive in case of COVID-19. For example, if someone has high blood pressure and is also diabetic, they have comorbidities and have a higher risk of developing complications.

Everyone is talking about social distancing currently and how it can prevent the spread of the disease. It basically means keeping a safe distance of about three to six feet from others. This distance will not only prevent you from contracting any kind of infection but will also break the chain of the disease.

You all must have heard the term ‘flatten the curve’ in the past few days, but what does it actually mean? “Flattening the curve” simply means slowing down the rate at which the disease is spreading. It can only be done by taking necessary precautions, practicing hand hygiene and maintaining social distancing.