sars

Everyday

1. (abbreviation) SARS stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, a serious lung illness caused by a coronavirus that spread to several countries in 2002–2003. tree →
2. (science) SARS-CoV-2 is the name of the virus that causes COVID-19. tree →
3. (abbreviation) In some places SAR or SARs can mean other things, such as Hong Kong and Macau's status as Special Administrative Regions of China. tree →

In the lessons

In science and health lessons, SARS is an example of how new viruses can jump from animals to people and how hand-washing, masks and quarantine help stop spread. The virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic was named SARS-CoV-2 because it is related. "Sars" written in lower case is just the abbreviation.

Examples

• SARS was a dangerous illness that spread in 2003. tree →
• The SARS virus attacked people's lungs. tree →
• The virus that causes COVID-19 is called SARS-CoV-2. tree →
• Doctors stopped SARS spreading with careful hygiene and quarantine. tree →
• SARS is short for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. tree →
• Scientists think SARS came from animals. tree →
• Hand-washing helps protect against viruses like SARS. tree →

Note

Usually written in capitals: SARS. Say "sarz". It is an abbreviation, not an ordinary English word. SARS (2003) and COVID-19 are different illnesses caused by related viruses.