Covid-19 is a stupid name for SARS-2

[MrsKypp]

Covid-19 sounds like a boy band or something, not a serious disease.

SARS terrified people. This is SARS 2 and should have been called that instead.

Names matter. It influences how seriously people take it.

[DoubleTweenQueen]

The virus is named SARS-CoV-2. The disease it causes, Covid19. The media have generally used Covid19. I would think the numbers of people suffering and dying would ensure it's taken seriously.

[Porcupineinwaiting]

Do you really think it will help all of us struggling with this at home to be more terrified though? Trust me, we're already pretty scared.

[thewheelsonthebus23]

I still call it coronavirus

[PleasantVille]

Who was terrified of SARS? I'm in England and old enough to have remembered it but tbh I'd totally forgotten about it until this all happened.

I can see it might have been frightening in other countries but was it really in anyone's radar in the UK?

Maybe I somehow missed it. I don't think the name matters, the number of people dying gets the message out.

[FamilyOfAliens]

It stands for Corona Virus Disease and the 19 is the year when the first case was detected.

The name wasn’t decided on by a focus group!

[SorrelBlackbeak]

SARS didn't terrify people in the UK. If it had, the government might had been prepared for this one.

[ChanklyBore]

SARS2 wouldn’t be a good idea, surely, as it would encourage people to behave as they did when SARS (1?) was around, ie normally.

SARS caused 774 deaths worldwide and that was without a lockdown or vaccine.

[TheCanterburyWhales]

I think the name Covid 2 has been around long enough not to be associated with a boy band.

[TheCanterburyWhales]

And, no, Sars didn't terrify me. Neither does Covid, Corona, Sars 2, Covid 2, Covid 19 and all the other variations.

[PleasantVille]

Actually it does sound like a serious disease because ieveryone knows it is a serious disease, no one hears “Covid 19” and thinks to themselves, I wonder what that is? Is it a boy band I haven't heard of?

[BakedCam]

OP.



That made me laugh.

[Splitsunrise]

Who the hell thinks covid 19 is a boy band?! If they are that thick then to be honest I don’t think changing a name is going to make any difference to how they behave!

Of all things, the name isn’t the problem.

[pocketem]

SARS didn't terrify anyone. People were making "SARS In Their Eyes" jokes etc. Plus it is widely (though incorrectly) seen as an example as a panic over nothing, so calling covid SARS-2 would have made people not take it seriously.
The virus is called SARS-CoV2

[LochJessMonster]

I’m pretty sure those that aren’t taking it seriously aren’t doing so because they don’t think the name is scary enough

[ViciousJackdaw]

SARS 2

That just sounds like a film sequel. 'It came from the East...'
Covid-19 is quite a sensible name, as Family says, it's just a shortening.

[Willow2017]

There were 4 confirmed cases of SARS in Uk how the hell is that terrifying compared to nearly 90,000 confirmed cases and nearly 9000 deaths from COVID19

Give your head a shake!

[PuzzledObserver]

Where are you getting your numbers from, @Willow2017? Those are way out of date.

[Kittykat93]

Well it made me laugh op.

[woodencoffeetable]

I find the name a bit macabre tbh
reminds me of 'corvid', you know, the black spooky birds.

[BarkandCheese]

You could rename Ebola fluffykins and it would still be an utterly terrifying disease. Covid 19 is a suitable name, I don’t think calling it SARS 2 would make any difference to people’s response to it.

[HeadacheAgainToday]

Seems like a sensible name to me.

This is a weird thread!

Off to listen to a boyband now... Before I watch some more Sars in their eyes