New Vocabulary Created by a Pandemic
On the 12th March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Europe’s Standing Committee of the Regional Committee met. Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, briefed the group on the rapid escalation of COVID-19 in the WHO European Region, now placing it at the centre of this pandemic.
As of the morning of 12 March, there were more than 20 000 confirmed cases and there were almost 1000 deaths in the European Region. The meeting followed the announcement that COVID-19 would be characterised as a “Pandemic”. Pandemic differs to an Epidemic because whilst an Epidemic is a disease that affects a large number of people within a community, population, or region, a Pandemic an epidemic that’s spread over multiple countries or continents. Hence our familiarity with this word.
Alongside, Pandemic, comes the culprit, Covid-19 or Coronavirus. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines coronaviruses as a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases and so, on February 11, the WHO named the disease Covid-19 – short for Coronavirus Disease. We see a daily reminder of the Pandemic and the cause in the press, on TV, on websites and so the terminology becomes part of our daily discussions.
As a result, most of the World is on “lockdown”, a term more commonly used in conjunction with a prison, yet in 2020, used to describe “a state of isolation or restricted access instituted as a security measure”, the security measure in question being the prevention of the spread of the virus. In addition to this term, we have “Social Distancing”, defined by the Government as “the reduction of social interaction between people”. Again, a method implemented to reduce the transmission of the Virus. Alongside “Social Distancing”, comes “Self-Isolation” - If a person has symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19) or lives with someone who does, they should isolate themselves in order to prevent the spread of the disease.
Terminology we have never been used to - State of Emergency - when did we last refer to any situation in such terms? And the word “Furlough”. How many people in the UK knew the meaning of this word before the 20th March 2020? It was first used in 1631 to provide a leave of absence to a governmental or institutional employee (such as a soldier or civil servant). In 2020, it has become an extremely important word for many employers and employees. The word ‘furlough’ for so many will mean that many employees are granted a leave of absence due to the matters affecting the whole of the UK. Until now the expression has not carried any meaning in UK employment law but has been temporarily introduced in response to the unprecedented situation presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
#NewNormal has been retweeted across the World, as we all become accustomed to the changes imposed by Covid-19. We will look back at this #NotForever time of our lives and remember exactly how this changed the way we talk and the words we use.
Susie Crolla - Managing Director