The Hindu Editorial (A matter of concern) – May 12, 2021

The Indian variant, B.1.617 and its family of related coronaviruses have been categorised as a Variant of Concern (VOC) by WHO, a classification which will now prompt greater international scrutiny… For further reading, visit “The Hindu”. Below is today’s word list-1 for The Hindu Editorial (A matter of concern) – May 12, 2021.

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The Hindu Editorial (A matter of concern) – May 12, 2021:

matter of concern (phrase) – something which causes worry.
coronavirus (CoV) (noun) – a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death. (Courtesy: WHO)
variant (noun) – different or form or version or mutant of something (virus).
merit (verb) – deserve, warrant, justify.
public health (noun) – the branch of medicine handling public health; public health is also the science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities through education, policy making and research for disease and injury prevention.
double mutant (noun) – a unique “double mutant” coronavirus variant – with a combination of mutations not seen anywhere else in the world – has been found in India. The ‘double mutant’ virus that as having a bearing on the spread of the pandemic in India, has a formal scientific classification: B.1.617.
categorise (verb) – class, group, list, label.
Variant of Concern (VOC) (noun) – A variant for which there is evidence of an increase in transmissibility, more severe disease (e.g., increased hospitalizations or deaths), significant reduction in neutralization by antibodies generated during previous infection or vaccination, reduced effectiveness of treatments or vaccines, or diagnostic detection failures.
classification (noun) – categorization, grouping, sorting.
prompt (verb) – cause, impel, urge.
scrutiny (noun) – careful observation, review, examination.
overseas (adverb) – in a foreign country.
so-called (adverb) – commonly named.
Variants of Interest (VOI) (noun) – A variant with specific genetic markers that have been associated with changes to receptor binding, reduced neutralization by antibodies generated against previous infection or vaccination, reduced efficacy of treatments, potential diagnostic impact, or predicted increase in transmissibility or disease severity.
flag (verb) – indicate, identify, point out.
potential (adjective) – possible, probable, likely.
evade (verb) – avoid, dodge, elude, escape.
play a part/role (phrase) – contribute to, be instrumental in, be a factor in.
Indian SARS-CoV2 Genomic Consortia (INSACOG) (noun) – INSACOG refers to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genome Sequencing Consortia. The INSACOG consortium of scientists, spanning 10 labs across the country, and involved in sequencing genomes of coronavirus samples in different States, had been giving regular updates on the threat from new strains to the government.
consortium (noun) – association, syndicate, corporation, federation. Consortia is a plural form of consortium.
sequence (verb) – determine the complete order of compounds/building blocks (nucleotides) of nucleic acids, such as RNA or DNA.
genome (noun) – the genetic material (a complete set of DNA, including all of its genes) of an organism. The sum total of the genetic material of a cell or an organism.
genome sequence (noun) – a process that determines the order, or sequence, of the DNA (nucleotides i.e., A, C, G and U) in each of the genes present in the virus’s genome.
concerning (adjective) – worrying, alarming, bothersome.
mutation (noun) – a significant and basic “alteration/variation” in the DNA sequence.
fraction (noun) – proportion, portion, part, amount, percentage, ratio of something.
consistently (adverb) – always, each time, invariably.
afflicted (adjective) – troubled, bothered, burdened, distressed, strained.
lineage (noun) – sequence.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (noun) – The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. CDC is the U.S’s leading science-based, data-driven, service organization that protects the public’s health.
Public Health England (noun) – The Public Health England (PHE) was set up on 1 April 2013 as an operationally autonomous executive agency of the Department of Health. Its mission is to protect and improve the nation’s health and to address inequalities through working with national and local government, the National Health Service (NHS), industry and the voluntary and community sector.
criterion (noun) – basis, standard; specification, guideline. (criteria is the plural form of criterion).
interest (noun) – advantage, benefit.
prevalence (noun) – it refers to the number of cases of a disease that are present in a particular population at a given time whereas “incidence” refers to the number of new cases that develop in a given period of time.
go on to (phrasal verb) – proceed (to do something).
dominant (adjective) – main, most important/prominent, most powerful.
strain (noun) – variety, kind, type; variant, mutant.
geography (noun) – (particularly in business) region.
antibody (noun) – immunizer; it is also called ‘immunoglobulin’; a protective protein produced mainly by plasma (blood) cells in the immune system in response to the presence of antigens (disease-causing organisms (bacteria & viruses) and other harmful/toxic foreign substances like insect venom).
breakthrough infections (noun) – people getting infections after they are fully vaccinated is when the infections are caused by circulating virus variants, with potential immune escape mechanism, which might reduce the efficacy of vaccines. These are called “vaccine breakthrough infections.”
inoculate (verb) – to inject/introduce a vaccine into the body of someone to produce immunity to a particular disease; immunize, vaccinate.
radical (adjective) – thorough, complete, comprehensive, exhaustive, wide-ranging, extensive.
mask up (phrasal verb) – to wear a mask (face covering).
go a long way (phrase) – achieve great success; to be helpful for a significant amount of time.
vaccine (noun) – a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease.
defence (noun) – protection, shielding, safeguarding; security.
magic pill (noun) – a drug or treatment that can cure a disease quickly and completely; nostrum, elixir, wonder drug, magic bullet.
magic bullet (noun) – (quick) solution, answer, remedy, cure.
on one’s toes (phrase) – alert, wide awake, responsive.