Where does the name Covid-19 come from?

Covid-19: no one who does not yet know this name, but what does it stand for? In mid-February, the new coronavirus was so baptized by the World Health Organization. We refresh the origin of the word for you.

The new coronavirus was previously referred to as 2019-nCoV. On February 11, WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced a new name: Covid-19.

In addition, ‘Co’ stands for the virus group Corona to which the new disease belongs. Corona owes its name to the wreath around the virus particles, Corona, in Latin. ‘Vi’ refers to the virus, while 19 indicates the year in which the new virus broke: 2019. Combine these three, and you get Covid-19.

According to the WHO, the new name had to meet several criteria. A description was sought that does not refer to a geographical location, an animal, person, or group of people.

This should prevent stigmas and inaccuracies regarding the virus, according to the WHO. Besides, the name had to be easy to pronounce.

“We now have a name for the #2019nCoV disease: COVID-19. I’ll spell it: C-O-V-I-D hyphen one nine – COVID-19.”