Antibody test
A medical test that can show if a person has had the coronavirus and now has some immunity. The test detects antibodies in the blood that are made by the body to fight off the disease.
Asymptomatic
Someone who has a disease but doesn’t have any of the symptoms that cause it. Some studies suggest that some people with coronavirus carry the disease but don’t have the most common symptoms, such as a persistent cough or high temperature.
Containment phase
The first part of the UK’s strategy to fight the coronavirus was to identify infected people early on and track down anyone who was in close contact with them.
Coronavirus
One of a group of viruses that can cause severe or mild illness in humans and animals. The coronavirus, which is currently widespread worldwide, causes the disease Covid-19. The common cold and influenza (flu) are other types of coronavirus.
Covid-19
The disease caused by the coronavirus was first discovered in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. It mainly affects the lungs.
Delay phase
The second part of the UK’s strategy to fight the coronavirus, which uses measures such as social distancing to delay its spread.
Fixed criminal charges
A fine designed to deal with a crime on the spot, not in court. These are often intended for driving offenses, but now also cover anti-social behavior and violations of the coronavirus lockdown.
Smooth the curve
Health professionals use a line on a graph to show the number of new coronavirus cases. When a lot of people get the virus in a short period of time, the line can rise sharply and look a bit like a mountain. However, measures to reduce infection can spread cases over time and mean the “curve” is flatter. This makes it easier for health systems to cope with.
flu
Abbreviation for influenza, a virus that routinely causes disease in humans and animals during seasonal epidemics.
vacation
Supports coronavirus-affected companies by temporarily helping to pay some employees’ wages. This allows employees to stay on the payroll even when they are not working.
Herd immunity
How the spread of a disease slows down after exposing a sufficiently large proportion of the population to the disease.
Immune
A person whose body can withstand or fight off a disease is said to be immune to it. Once a person has recovered from the illness caused by the coronavirus Covid-19, it is believed that they will no longer be able to catch it for a period of time.
Incubation period
The time between the onset of an illness and the onset of symptoms.
Intensive care unit
Hospital wards that treat patients who are very sick. They are operated by specially trained medical personnel and contain specialized equipment.
Curfew
Restrictions on movement or daily life when public buildings are closed and people are asked to stay home. Bans have been imposed in several countries to control the spread of the coronavirus.
Damage Control Phase
The third part of the UK’s strategy to fight the coronavirus will include attempts to reduce the impact of large numbers of cases on public services. This could mean that the NHS is stopping all non-critical care and police that only respond to serious crimes and emergencies.
NHS 111
The NHS’s 24-hour phone and online service offering medical advice to anyone in need. People in England and Wales are advised to call the service if they are concerned about their symptoms. In Scotland, they should check the NHS information and then call their GP within or after office hours. In Northern Ireland you should call your family doctor.
outbreak
Multiple cases of a disease that appear quickly, in a cluster or in different locations.
pandemic
An epidemic of serious diseases that is spreading rapidly in many countries at the same time.
Phase 2
At that point, the UK will begin lifting some of its lockdown rules while continuing to seek to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
PPE
PPE, or personal protective equipment, is clothing and equipment such as masks, aprons, gloves, and goggles that are used by health care professionals, caregivers, and others to protect themselves from infection from coronavirus patients and others who may be carrying the disease.
quarantine
Isolating people who are exposed to a contagious disease to keep it from spreading.
R0
R0, pronounced “R-naught”, is the average number of people who will get the disease from a single infected person. If the R0 of coronavirus in a given population is 2, an average of two more new cases will be created in each case. The value therefore gives an indication of how much the infection could spread.
recession
This happens when a country has seen a significant decrease in income, jobs and sales for two consecutive three month periods.
Sars
Severe acute respiratory syndrome, a type of coronavirus that appeared in Asia in 2003.
Self isolation
Stay indoors and avoid any contact with other people to prevent the spread of disease.
Social distancing
Keep away from other people to slow the transmission of a disease. The government recommends that you see no friends or relatives other than those you live with, work from home whenever possible, and avoid public transportation.
Emergency
Government measures to restrict daily life in the event of a crisis. This can include closing schools and workplaces, restricting movement of people, and even using the armed forces to support regular emergency services.
Ordinance
These can be used by government ministers to implement new laws or regulations, or to amend existing laws. They are an easier alternative to passing a full parliamentary bill.
Symptoms
Any sign of illness triggered by the body’s immune system trying to fight off the infection. The main symptoms of the coronavirus are fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath.
vaccine
A treatment in which the body makes antibodies that fight off disease and provide immunity to further infections.
fan
A machine that does the breathing for the body when the lungs have failed due to an illness.
virus
A tiny agent that copies itself into the living cells of every organism. Viruses can cause these cells to die and disrupt the body’s normal chemical processes, leading to disease.
