Terms to Know

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Across
  1. 5. a change to a virus’s genetic material that occurs when the virus is replicating. The change is passed on to future generations of the virus.
  2. 6. antibodies, laboratory-produced proteins designed to mimic naturally occurring antibodies that target specific antigens on viruses, bacteria, and cancer cells.
  3. 8. the curve, refers to the epidemic curve, a statistical chart used to visualize the number of new cases over a given period of time during a disease outbreak.
  4. 9. syndrome, the constellation of symptoms experienced by COVID-19 long haulers.
  5. 10. test, a diagnostic test that detects specific proteins on the surface of the virus.
  6. 13. immunity, herd immunity occurs when enough people become immune to a disease to make its spread unlikely.
  7. 16. a virus is the smallest of infectious microbes, smaller than bacteria or fungi. A virus consists of a small piece of genetic material (DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protein shell.
  8. 18. tracing, a process that begins with identifying everyone a person diagnosed with a given illness
  9. 19. indicates the benefit of a vaccine in the real world.
  10. 22. infectious viral particles that can float or drift around in the air.
  11. 26. a disease outbreak in a community or region
  12. 29. proteins made by the immune system to fight infections.
  13. 30. distancing, actions taken to stop or slow down the spread of a contagious disease.
  14. 31. refers to steps taken to limit the impact of an illness.
  15. 32. period, the period of time between exposure to an infection and when symptoms begin
  16. 33. spread, is said to have occurred when people have been infected without any knowledge of contact with someone who has the same infection
  17. 35. a virus containing one or more mutations that make it different from a version of the virus that has been circulating.
Down
  1. 1. positive test result, a positive test for the virus that causes COVID-19
  2. 2. the separation of people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick
  3. 3. an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine given after protection from the initial vaccine series begins to decline.
  4. 4. a substance displayed on the surface of a microbe that stimulates the body to produce an immune response.
  5. 7. people who have not fully recovered from COVID-19 weeks or even months after first experiencing symptoms.
  6. 11. of concern, SARS-CoV-2 viruses with mutations that make them more likely to spread, evade vaccines, or make people sicker.
  7. 12. chain reaction (PCR) test, a diagnostic test that detects the presence of the virus's genetic material.
  8. 14. short for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2 is the official name for the virus responsible for COVID-19.
  9. 15. short for messenger ribonucleic acid, mRNA is genetic material that contains instructions for making proteins.
  10. 17. a disease outbreak affecting large populations or a whole region, country, or continent
  11. 20. positive, a test result that mistakenly indicates you are infected when you are not.
  12. 21. distancing, refers to actions taken to stop or slow down the spread of a contagious disease.
  13. 23. a harmless capsule. In a vaccine, a vector may be used to deliver a substance into the body in order to prompt an immune response.
  14. 24. test, indicates whether you are currently infected with COVID-19.
  15. 25. partial or complete protection from a specific infection because a person has either had that infection previously or has been vaccinated against it.
  16. 27. negative, a test result that mistakenly indicates you are not infected when you are.
  17. 28. indicates the benefit of a vaccine compared to a placebo in the context of a clinical trial.
  18. 34. vaccines, mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 contain synthetic mRNA.