Pandemic Phrases That Have Infected Our Vocabulary
COVID-19 LingoLike so many other parts of life, how we talk and the words we use have been rapidly and profoundly affected by the pandemic. Here’s a closer look at some of the terms that are part of our expanding vocabulary – including the dreaded “flurona,” a mashup of infections that is increasingly worrying doctors
‘Flurona’
First detected in a pregnant woman in Israel and now found in the U.S. in an unvaccinated teen, “flurona” isn’t its own disease, but refers to when a patient tests positive for both COVID-19 and the flu either at the same time or back-to-back.
- True to their name, boosters enhance protection after it may have lessened over time from the original shot series.
Maskhole
The social circle you risk exposure for in order to stay sane and have actual conversations with people other than your family
- These are friends and family that you see socially on a regular or semi-regular basis, even though none of you really know whether you’re being entirely safe
Novel Coronavirus
This is a new coronavirus that had not been previously identified, according to the CDC, and this one is “not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold”
COVID-10
A reference to the weight gain some are experiencing while staying at home trying to avoid catching the virus
- Other countries have fun names for this one too
- Germans call it “coronaspeck” – speck being a baconesque food that Germans indulge in
Contactless Delivery
Restaurants such as Domino’s, Papa John’s, and Pizza Guys offer contactless-delivery options
Coronacation
it can be a staycation forced by the pandemic
- It can reference a vacation one plans cheaply due to pandemic-related travel price cuts
- Finally, it’s what some folks (who probably aren’t very good at working from home) are calling working from work.
Social Shaming
There’s a significant divide in public opinion among those who believe things like mask wearing and social distancing should continue and those who would like to return to life as we once knew it