On March 11th, 2020, the World Health Organization officially changed its designation of the novel Covid-19/coronavirus from an epidemic to a pandemic. Prior to this, a lot of people weren’t even aware of the epidemic tag, but an official announcement for the change raised eyebrows and questions like:
- Is the disease getting better, or worse?
- What’s the difference between both tags?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary;
An epidemic is defined as “an outbreak of disease that spreads quickly and affects many individuals at the same time.”
A pandemic is a type of epidemic (one with greater range and coverage), an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area and affects an exceptionally high proportion of the population. While a pandemic may be characterized as a type of epidemic, you would not say that an epidemic is a type of pandemic.
Putting it in simpler terms, the difference between the two is in the scale of geographical areas and people affected, with pandemic being worse.
What this means is that humanity is still in the battle for supremacy against the coronavirus. More than ever, it’s imperative that we practice good hygiene to stay safe. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, or with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose, mouth, or any other body orifice. Practice social distancing, avoid large gatherings as much as possible. The world can best Covid-19/ Coronavirus, but it starts with me and you.
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