COVID Terminology 101: A Complete Guide

With the coronavirus epidemic came an onslaught of medical terms that soon became household words, though not everyone used them correctly. With this guide, you’ll learn the definitions of the most common COVID terminology used in the top Eatontown’s COVID testing facility.

Common COVID-Related Terminology

Some of the most common terms used during coronavirus discussions include the following:

Antibodies

Proteins released by your immune system to fight against an infection.

Antibody Tests

Testing designed to discern whether you have antibodies in your blood. Coronavirus antibodies only appear if you’ve had the virus before or have vaccinations against it.

Asymptomatic

Asymptomatic patients have coronavirus but don’t show symptoms, making it easier for them to spread the virus.

Booster

A follow-up shot to previous vaccinations that boost the shots’ protection.

Communicable Disease

A communicable disease is a virus that easily transmits from an ill person to a healthy one, creating a chain of viral infection.

Contact Tracing

Contract tracing allows public health workers to identify the trail through which a particular person became ill.

Coronavirus

Coronavirus, or COVID-19, refers to the virus that began spreading across the world in earnest in the year 2020. Since then, the virus has mutated and changed into new variants, some of which are more contagious and dangerous than others.

Immunity

Immunity consists of how well your body can fight off infections or diseases. The higher your immunity, the less likely you’ll contract certain health conditions.

Epidemic

One of the most popular words in COVID terminology includes “epidemic.” An epidemic refers to the quick spread of a disease in a particular area.

Mortality Rate

This term refers to how many people die due to a specific reason. Coronavirus mortality rates helped different countries determine how seriously the virus affected their countries and guided everything from vaccination to quarantine efforts.

Quarantine

People exhibiting symptoms associated with a particular disease may go into quarantine, where they stay separated from others to limit the possibility of sharing their sickness.

Social Distancing

Social distancing ensures that people keep a set amount of space, usually six feet, away from each other in public areas.

Viral Shedding

Viral shedding refers to a virus’s ability to spread through shed human materials. Coronavirus shedding often occurs through saliva, mucus, or the spray generated during coughs or sneezing.

Learn More About Coronavirus with A2Z Diagnostics

Whether you need to learn more about COVID terminology or have recently experienced an inconclusive test result, contact A2Z Diagnostics in NJ at (732) 542-3200 for professional diagnostics and testing.