Confusion often arises in public health discussions due to the rapidly evolving language used to describe the novel coronavirus and the illness it causes. People frequently search for a single, new official designation because the scientific community uses separate naming conventions for the virus, the illness, and its genetic variations. To clarify the terminology, it is necessary to distinguish between the viral family, the specific pathogen, and the resulting clinical condition.
Distinguishing the Virus, the Disease, and the Family
The overarching group is the family of Coronaviruses, which are RNA viruses named for the crown-like spikes on their surface. These viruses cause a range of respiratory illnesses in humans, from common colds to severe diseases like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). The official family name is Coronaviridae, but “coronavirus” is the common term used for any member of this group.
The specific biological agent responsible for the recent pandemic is officially named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This is the scientific name for the actual pathogen—the physical virus that infects cells and replicates. It received this name because it is genetically related to the SARS coronavirus that caused an outbreak in 2002–2003.
The illness, or the clinical outcome caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is named Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). This name refers to the symptoms and the syndrome a person experiences when infected, not the virus particle itself. The acronym stands for Corona Virus Disease and the year 2019, when the outbreak was first identified.
The Standardized Process of Naming
Two distinct international organizations are responsible for assigning these official names, each focusing on a different aspect of the event. The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) is responsible for naming the virus, or the pathogen itself. The ICTV uses a standardized taxonomic system to ensure the name reflects the virus’s genetic and evolutionary relationships. They officially named the virus SARS-CoV-2 because it is the second virus of its kind to cause severe acute respiratory syndrome.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is responsible for naming the disease, or the illness caused by the virus. The WHO follows guidelines established in 2015 to avoid causing offense, stigma, or negative impacts on trade and travel. These guidelines advise against using names that refer to geographic locations, people’s names, or animal species. The name COVID-19 was chosen because it is neutral, descriptive of the cause (coronavirus), and temporally specific (2019).
How Coronavirus Variants Are Classified
The frequent emergence of new versions of the virus, known as variants, often creates the perception that the name is constantly changing. Scientists use a precise alphanumeric system, called the Pango lineage system, to track these genetic mutations in detail. This system uses codes like B.1.1.529 to denote a specific branch on the virus’s evolutionary tree, primarily for use by researchers and public health experts.
However, these complex Pango lineage names are difficult for the public to remember and use. To simplify communication and prevent the use of stigmatizing geographic names, the WHO introduced a system that assigns easy-to-say labels to the most concerning variants. This system uses letters from the Greek alphabet, such as Alpha, Delta, and Omicron, to designate a Variant of Concern or a Variant of Interest.
A variant receives a new Greek letter name when it accumulates mutations that significantly change its characteristics, such as increased transmissibility or reduced vaccine effectiveness. While these variant names change as the virus evolves, they do not replace the original official designations. The pathogen remains SARS-CoV-2, and the disease it causes remains COVID-19.