When was the official name of SARS-CoV-2 announced?
On 11 February 2020, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses adopted the official name “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2” (SARS-CoV-2).
What is the natural reservoir for SARS-CoV-2?
The most likely ecological reservoirs for SARS-CoV-2 are bats, but it is believed that the virus jumped the species barrier to humans from another intermediate animal host. This intermediate animal host could be a domestic food animal, a wild animal, or a domesticated wild animal which has not yet been identified.
Can COVID-19 vaccines protect people against the SARS-CoV-2 virus when it has mutated?
See full answerVaccines against some viral diseases remain effective for many years and provide long-lasting protection. Others, such as the flu vaccine, need to be regularly updated to remain effective. This is because viruses constantly mutate when they circulate among people.Many SARS-CoV-2 mutations have no impact on vaccine effectiveness, but some are of concern due to a possible reduction in how well the existing vaccines will work. Scientists around the world are carefully monitoring mutations of SARS-CoV-2 virus to assess how well the currently available COVID-19 vaccines can protect people against them, and vaccine producers are exploring ways to update vaccines as necessary to improve protection as new variants are detected.Even with some COVID-19 vaccines’ reduced effectiveness against some of the new variants, COVID-19 vaccines are expected to offer some protection from severe forms of the disease.
Who issued the official name of COVID-19?
The official names COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 were issued by the WHO on 11 February 2020.
How do viruses get their name?
Viruses are named based on their genetic structure to facilitate the development of diagnostic tests, vaccines and medicines. Virologists and the wider scientific community do this work, so viruses are named by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV).
What is the most likely ecological reservoirs for coronavirus disease?
Can the coronavirus disease be transmitted through water?
Drinking water is not transmitting COVID-19. And, if you swim in a swimming pool or in a pond, you cannot get COVID-19 through water. But what can happen, if you go to a swimming pool, which is crowded and if you are close to other the people and if someone is infected, then you can be of course affected.
What are the common side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine?
Reported side effects to COVID-19 vaccines have mostly been mild to moderate and short-lasting. They include: fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, diarrhoea, and pain at the injection site. The chances of any of these side effects following vaccination differ according to the specific COVID-19 vaccine.
Does BCG vaccine protect you from getting the coronavirus disease?
There is no evidence that the Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine (BCG) protects people against infection with COVID-19 virus. Two clinical trials addressing this question are underway, and WHO will evaluate the evidence when it is available. In the absence of evidence, WHO does not recommend BCG vaccination for the prevention of COVID-19. WHO continues to recommend neonatal BCG vaccination in countries or settings with a high incidence of tuberculosis.
Where do coronaviruses come from?
Coronaviruses are viruses that circulate among animals. Some coronaviruses can infect humans.Many human coronaviruses come from bats which are considered natural hosts of these viruses. The virus is then thought to be passed on through an intermediate host to humans. The first SARS-CoV originated in bats and was transmitted to humans via civet cats, while MERS-CoV emerged in humans through the intermediate host of camels. The precise way in which SARS-CoV-2 was transmitted from animals to humans is currently unknown.
When was COVID-19 first identified?
On 31 December 2019, WHO was informed of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan City, China. A novel coronavirus was identified as the cause by Chinese authorities on 7 January 2020 and was temporarily named “2019-nCoV”.