SARS-CoV-2

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Business continuity - pandemic.

SARS-CoV-2 is an abbreviation for “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2”, the virus responsible for COVID-19.


This name was chosen because the virus is genetically related to the coronavirus responsible for the SARS outbreak of 2003.

While related, the two viruses are different.

From a risk communications perspective however, using the name SARS can have unintended consequences in terms of creating unnecessary fear for some populations, especially in areas worst affected by the SARS outbreak in 2003.

For this reason, the World Health Organization (WHO) usually refers to the SARS-CoV-2 virus as "the COVID-19 virus" or "the virus responsible for COVID-19".


See also


Resources for COVID-19

ACT technical - COVID-19

UK government: support for businesses

UK government: COVID-19 support hub