COVID-19
Medical abbreviation · Infectious Disease
| Stands for | Coronavirus disease 2019 |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
COVID-19 stands for Coronavirus disease 2019, an infectious disease abbreviation.
Disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, ranging from no symptoms to severe pneumonia, blood clots and multiorgan failure, with lasting symptoms (long COVID) in some people. The WHO declared it a pandemic on March 11, 2020; vaccines, antivirals such as nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, and population immunity have greatly reduced severe outcomes.
Example: COVID-19 antigen test positive on day 2 of symptoms; Paxlovid prescribed given age 72.
Usage notes
The WHO named the disease on February 11, 2020, from "COronaVIrus Disease" and the year the outbreak was identified. More than 7 million deaths have been reported to the WHO, and the true toll is believed to be far higher. AP style writes COVID-19, while some British outlets use "Covid". The WHO ended the global health emergency in May 2023.
Related abbreviations
More infectious disease abbreviations
- BCG – Bacillus Calmette-Guérin
- BSI – Bloodstream infection
- C. diff – Clostridioides difficile
- CD4 – Cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4 T-cell count)
- CDI – Clostridioides difficile infection
- CMV – Cytomegalovirus
- CRAB – Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii
- CRE – Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales
- CT – Chlamydia trachomatis
- DAA – Direct-acting antiviral
- DOT – Directly observed therapy
- E. coli – Escherichia coli
See all 92 infectious disease abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.