How to Be Clear During COVID-19: Part 2

As we learn more about the coronavirus, new words continue to enter our vocabulary. Our first COVID-19 flyer onHow to Be Clear During COVID-19 covered 20+ terms. Now it is time for Part 2.

PHRASES RELATED TO THE “NEW NORMAL”

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The process of identifying and Contact tracers can help stop the Contact Tracing informing people who have come spread of the coronavirus. They let into contact with a person who people know if they’ve been around has COVID-19. someone with COVID-19.

The CDC recommends people wear a Secured material (including face covering in place where it’s difficult cloth masks, bandanas or to keep 6ft of distance between others Face Covering scarves) that covers a persons (about the length of a bicycle). You can nose and mouth . use a cloth mask, bandana or scarf.

A group of individuals or Quarantine bubbles are groups of families who have been safely Quarantine bubble people who socialize only with each quarantining and decide to or “Quaranteam” other to create support exclusively spend time with and connections. one another.

MEDICAL TERMS

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Doctors are studying how well antiviral drugs work on very ill patients. These Antiviral medication A type of medicine that may stop a drugs may help stop virus from or drug virus from multiplying in the body. growing in the body and making patients even sicker.

Researchers are leading clinical trials A carefully conducted research to study how different medications program where new drugs or treat COVID-19. People can participate Clinical trial treatments are tested for safety and in these studies, where they receive effectiveness. the new treatment under the care of doctors. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given an emergency use The ability of doctors to use not- label to certain drugs for COVID-19. yet-approved drugs in serious These drugs have not recieved FDA Emergency use cases where no standard treatment approval. But this label allows doctors is available. to use them to treat very sick patients, since there is no regular treatment.

Scientists need to know how many people died during a pandemic because of the virus or from other reasons. They use term excess deaths The number of deaths beyond what to describe these numbers. Excess would typically be expected for that Excess deaths deaths are the number of people who time period. died during a specific time period, compared with the number who died during that same period in the past years.

Scientists believe that herd immunity may happen when 60 to 80% of When a large part of the people have recovered from the Herd immunity population is protected from a coronavirus or when there is a specific disease. vaccine. At that point, enough people, will be protected from the virus. Then COVID-19 shouldn’t spread as quickly.

VOCABULARY ABOUT TESTING

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Scientists are studying coronavirus Proteins the body produces to fight antibodies, chemicals the body Antibodies off infection after being exposed to produces after COVID-19. Antibodies a virus. may protect people from catching the virus again.

Antibody tests are helping researchers A blood test that determines if understand the coronavirus, how it Antibody test a person has been exposed to spreads and if you can get it again. COVID-19. These blood tests show if a person had COVID-19.

A test that uses samples from a To perform a COVID-19 viral test, COVID-19 viral test, person’s respiratory system, such a healthcare worker uses a cotton often just called a as mucus or saliva, to check if swab to collect mucus or saliva. If the “COVID-19 test” they are currently infected with test result is positive, it means you COVID-19. currently have coronavirus.

A COVID-19 test, in which a person With rapid point-of-care tests, a Rapid/Point-of-Care Test can get the results at the testing person gets COVID-19 results within site, often in less than an hour. the hour.

Some pharmacies may begin to A COVID-19 test where a person offer self-swab COVID-19 tests. You Self-swap test inserts a cotton swab into their can perform your own test at the nose (instead of a healthcare drugstore, by inserting a cotton swab worker doing it). into your nose. uthealthrgv.org • 1-833-UTRGVMD • 1-833-887-4863