Coronavirus glossary

SARS-CoV-2 – The novel coronavirus causing the current outbreak of respiratory disease.

COVID-19 - The disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been named COronaVIrus Disease 2019

Person-to-Person spread – The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.

• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet)

• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Spread from contact with infected surface or objects—It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

Community Spread –The virus is spread easily and sustainably in a community, in some affected geographic areas. People have been infected with the virus in an area, including some who are not sure how or where they became infected.

PUI - Presumptive or Person under investigation – A person with COR VID-19 symptoms but not necessarily the virus, who may have been exposed through close contact with a confirmed case, traveled to an affected region, or who have severe respiratory illness requiring hospitalization with no identified cause for symptoms. PUI who test positive or negative are tracked on state websites.

PUM – Person under monitoring – A person who does not have the CORVID-19 symptoms but who may have been exposed through close contact with a confirmed case or from travel to mainland China.

Nonpharmaceutical interventions – Actions, apart from getting vacinated and taking medicine, that people and communities can take to help slow down the spread of illnesses like COVID-19. NPI’S include closing schools, restrict public meetings, voluntary home quarantine of ill persons, respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene. Social distancing and postponing of large gatherings.