SARS-CoV-2

What Does SARS-CoV-2 Mean?

The Quick Answer

SARS-CoV-2 means "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2."

More Detail...

On 11 February 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) gave the name Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) to the new strain of coronavirus which first appeared in Wuhan, China, in 2019. This name was chosen because the virus is genetically related to the coronavirus responsible for the SARS outbreak of 2003, and to avoid stigmatizing the virus's origins. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. COVID-19 "myth busters" can be found on the WHO's website at: Advice for the public: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Image for SARS-CoV-2

When I write SARS-CoV-2, I mean this:

The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus causes COVID-19 disease.

Summary of Key Points

"Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2" is, by far, the most common meaning for SARS-CoV-2 when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

SARS-CoV-2
Definition:	Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2
Type:	Acronym
Guessability:	5: Extremely difficult to guess
Typical Users:	Specialists

Example of SARS-CoV-2 Used in a Text

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