On February 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the new coronavirus was renamed COVID-19 . The main reason for the name change is to avoid references to geography, animals, an individual or a group of people . Also that it is a word that can be easily pronounced and is related to the disease .
The decision has been made with the agreement of the WHO , the World Organization for Animal Health and the FAO .
“Having a name is important to avoid using others that may be inaccurate or stigmatizing. It also gives us a standard format to use in future coronavirus outbreaks,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General.
The newly baptized COVID-19 has claimed the lives of 1,116 people and infected 45,191 , mostly in China. These are data as of February 12, 2020.
Ghebreyesus has announced that the first COVID-19 vaccine could be ready in 18 months . For now, he recommends following the basic recommendations to prevent contagion:
– Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol-based hand cleaner: after coughing and sneezing; when caring for the sick; before, during and after preparing food; before eating; After going to the bathroom; when we have dirty hands and after touching animals or their waste.
– Cover our mouth and nose with our arm or a tissue when we cough or sneeze.
– Stay away from someone who is coughing or sneezing.
– Go to the doctor if we have a fever, cough or it is difficult for us to breathe.
– Avoid crowded and closed places such as shopping centers and the subway.
– Avoid markets with live animals and contact with them.
The WHO is holding, since yesterday in Genoa, a meeting attended both in person and virtually more than 400 scientists from around the world and that will last until today. The goal is to coordinate a global response to COVID-19 . A roadmap regarding the research will also be drawn up, so that the organizations that fund it know exactly what the public health priorities are and thus the investments have the greatest impact on it.
