Lexicon of the Pandemic
Students compiled a list of words and phrases that came into use or took on a new meaning during the pandemic.
- A -
an abundance of caution: If an activity or event posed any risk or danger in spreading Covid-19, we will avoid it or not do it any more. Used mostly by institutions like corporations or schools. Out of an abundance of caution, only outdoor non-contact sports were played in the spring. “Fauci says J&J shots paused out of abundance of caution.”
aerosol: liquid droplets in air or another gas. Danny sneezes and aerosol was spread into the air from his nose. Ben, who was within six feet of Danny, got sick because he took in the virus into his lungs
anti-vaxxer: someone who is against getting the Covid-19 vaccine. Did you hear about the anti-vaxxers going on about being micro-chipped again?
antibody test: the Covid-19 antibody test is a blood test to find antibodies from a previous Covid infection. I think I had the Covid last March, because I lost my sense of smell for a week. I never got an antibody test, though.
asymptomatic: somebody who has Covid-19 but isn’t showing symptoms of the virus. She was exposed to COVID but was asymptomatic.
asynchronous instruction: A flexible form of teaching and learning in which lessons and work can be accessed and done at the students' leisure as long as it is done before the deadline given. I’ll go to the store for you since my classes are asynchronous today, I can worry about them later. “One of the most empowering features of asynchronous learning is that you set the pace.”
- B -
bandemic: Making money during the pandemic. Pandemic turnt into a bandemic.
blended learning: style of education in which students learn via electronic and online media as well as traditional face-to-face teaching. Due to the pandemic, students had to start blended learning.
- C -
clappy hour: When New Yorkers went outside at 7 p.m. and clapped for healthcare workers during the height of the pandemic. I brought my tambourine outside for clappy hour today and waved at my neighbors.
contact tracing: the process of contacting all people who've had contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19. My mom got a new job during the pandemic doing contact tracing. She lets people know that they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus and that they have to be quarantined.
community spread: When you get the virus without any direct contact with a contaminated person. The doctor said I got the virus through community spread after going to the park!
Covid bubble: people outside your household who you trust and feel comfortable being with safely during the pandemic. My Covid bubble included my family and friends who I enjoyed my time with.
Covid party: a gathering in which the host typically has Covid-19 and it is held to see how many people, if any, get Covid from the host. I heard that two of the people that went to the Covid party last week are in really bad condition now.
Covidiot: a person who doesn’t wear their mask and doesn’t social distance; a person who doesn’t follow simple Covid-19 protocols. Look at that Covidiot not wearing their mask over their nose. Don’t be a Covidiot, stay at home if you feel sick.
Covid Karen: a white woman who amplifies her privileges when it comes to exerting her opinions in reaction to the Covid virus. I was greeted by a Covid Karen today at Target who was screaming, “Stay 6 feet away!” at everyone in the cleaning aisle, even though she wasn't wearing a mask.
- D -
doomscrolling: endlessly scrolling through social media for negativity and bad vibes No wonder I’m anxious and depressed, I just spent the past three hours doomscrolling.
double-vaxxed: getting both shots of the vaccine. Thank god, now that I’m double-vaxxed, hopefully I’m on track to making the world safer.
drive-thru testing: getting a rapid Covid test from your car. Before they let me in I had to get drive-thru tested.
- E -
essential worker: someone who works in healthcare, transit, food, child care or something that contributes to keeping the city running. Essential workers risk their lives on the frontline, so they had access to the vaccines first.
- H -
hybrid learning: a combination of face-to-face learning and online learning. When schools opened back up, students had to do hybrid learning.
hygiene theater: a practice of taking hygiene measures such as wiping surfaces and wearing gloves and using hand sanitizer to give off the feeling of improved safety from the virus. It took about ten minutes to get into the store because of all the hygiene theater required.
- I -
immunocompromised: a person’s immune system's defenses are low, affecting its ability to fight off infections and diseases. People with this condition are at high risk to have serious problems with Covid-19. Doctors have to care for immunocompromised patients so they advise them to wash their hands and keep their hygiene up.
- L -
lockdown: a state of home isolation to keep from getting Covid. During the Covid pandemic the city was put on lockdown and most all public places were closed.
long hauler: person who has gotten Covid-19 but still has symptoms or has not fully recovered after a long period (weeks or even months). I can’t believe Steve’s still coughing and hasn’t gained back his sense of smell, only taste! Hasn’t it been like 4 weeks since he was diagnosed with Covid? What a long hauler!”
- M -
mask: a protective mask that covers the nose and mouth to prevent the spread of Covid. During the pandemic everyone had to wear a mask everywhere they went in public.
maskhole: someone who does not care about the well being of others and does not take the responsibility to put on a mask; also referred to someone who doesn’t believe in the pandemic. I ran into some maskhole while in the grocery store, I made sure to stay as far away as possible.
maskne: acne from wearing a mask Jackson refused to turn on her video in Zoom class because she had a terrible case of mascne.
mute (unmute): when you pull yourself back from speaking during zoom class. After speaking with Mr Rohlfing during class I put my audio on mute.
- N -
nonessential worker: someone who’s job isn’t crucial to keep things running during a time like a pandemic or after a natural disaster. Many office workers in New York City were nonessential workers so they worked from home during the worst months of the pandemic.
- P -
personal protective equipment (PPE): essential workers and non essential workers wear protective equipment to stay safe from contracting Covid-19. I think we’re running low on PPE again.
- Q -
quaranteens: a not-so-nice way to describe the generation that is stuck living their teenage years indoors during quarantine.
I hate being a quaranteen, I’m never going to enjoy my senior year :( no prom, no formal graduation!!
- R -
remote learning: the temporary move from in-person face-to-face learning to learning online from home. The school called and said we were switching to remote learning.
the Rona: the term we use to describe the coronavirus. Put your mask on, Rona outside.
- S -
shelter in place: find a safe location indoors and stay there until you are given an “all clear” or told it's safe to come out. We had to shelter in place when coronavirus hit New York City.
social distancing: the practice of staying more than 6 feet away from another person. Social distancing has proved to decrease the risk of being in contact with someone who may be infectious.
social isolation: when someone isolates themselves from society, usually because they have been exposed to someone with Covid or they have tested positive for Covid themselves. People do this so they don’t spread the virus. Last week I had to go through a social isolation because I tested positive for Covid.
social shaming: using social media to shame people. People social shame to make themselves feel better.
the shot: a needle going into your arm, also known as getting the vaccine. Today I have an appointment to get the shot.
stimmy: The stimulus check that American people received for financial help. Yo, my stimmy came in, let’s go to Miami!
superspreader: events that cause Covid-19 to spread fast to a large group of people;
a person who spreads the virus to a massive amount of people typically in the crowd or at a social gathering. Someone’s having another superspreader party. Stay away from that dude, you can tell he's a superspreader.
swab: a material used by health workers for taking samples from the nose for a Covid test; the act of taking a sample to test for Covid-19. The swabbing is then repeated on the other side of the nose to make sure enough material is collected. As she put the nasal swab up my nose, it felt as if I was going to sneeze.
- T -
test: the process in which people can know whether they carry the Covid virus or not. My mom went with her friend to get a test at City MD.
- U -
unemployment: people who lost their jobs received money to help pay bills. Yo, did you get unemployment today because you've been out of work for about two weeks now?
- V -
vaccine: a scientific breakthrough which helps the body develop immunity to the Covid-19 virus so you can live more freely. I would need the vaccine to go traveling.
vaccine hesitant: a person who delays or refuses to take the Covid-19 vaccination when it is first released. Mr. Jones was vaccine hesitant until he had to return to the school.
an abundance of caution: If an activity or event posed any risk or danger in spreading Covid-19, we will avoid it or not do it any more. Used mostly by institutions like corporations or schools. Out of an abundance of caution, only outdoor non-contact sports were played in the spring. “Fauci says J&J shots paused out of abundance of caution.”
aerosol: liquid droplets in air or another gas. Danny sneezes and aerosol was spread into the air from his nose. Ben, who was within six feet of Danny, got sick because he took in the virus into his lungs
anti-vaxxer: someone who is against getting the Covid-19 vaccine. Did you hear about the anti-vaxxers going on about being micro-chipped again?
antibody test: the Covid-19 antibody test is a blood test to find antibodies from a previous Covid infection. I think I had the Covid last March, because I lost my sense of smell for a week. I never got an antibody test, though.
asymptomatic: somebody who has Covid-19 but isn’t showing symptoms of the virus. She was exposed to COVID but was asymptomatic.
asynchronous instruction: A flexible form of teaching and learning in which lessons and work can be accessed and done at the students' leisure as long as it is done before the deadline given. I’ll go to the store for you since my classes are asynchronous today, I can worry about them later. “One of the most empowering features of asynchronous learning is that you set the pace.”
- B -
bandemic: Making money during the pandemic. Pandemic turnt into a bandemic.
blended learning: style of education in which students learn via electronic and online media as well as traditional face-to-face teaching. Due to the pandemic, students had to start blended learning.
- C -
clappy hour: When New Yorkers went outside at 7 p.m. and clapped for healthcare workers during the height of the pandemic. I brought my tambourine outside for clappy hour today and waved at my neighbors.
contact tracing: the process of contacting all people who've had contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19. My mom got a new job during the pandemic doing contact tracing. She lets people know that they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus and that they have to be quarantined.
community spread: When you get the virus without any direct contact with a contaminated person. The doctor said I got the virus through community spread after going to the park!
Covid bubble: people outside your household who you trust and feel comfortable being with safely during the pandemic. My Covid bubble included my family and friends who I enjoyed my time with.
Covid party: a gathering in which the host typically has Covid-19 and it is held to see how many people, if any, get Covid from the host. I heard that two of the people that went to the Covid party last week are in really bad condition now.
Covidiot: a person who doesn’t wear their mask and doesn’t social distance; a person who doesn’t follow simple Covid-19 protocols. Look at that Covidiot not wearing their mask over their nose. Don’t be a Covidiot, stay at home if you feel sick.
Covid Karen: a white woman who amplifies her privileges when it comes to exerting her opinions in reaction to the Covid virus. I was greeted by a Covid Karen today at Target who was screaming, “Stay 6 feet away!” at everyone in the cleaning aisle, even though she wasn't wearing a mask.
- D -
doomscrolling: endlessly scrolling through social media for negativity and bad vibes No wonder I’m anxious and depressed, I just spent the past three hours doomscrolling.
double-vaxxed: getting both shots of the vaccine. Thank god, now that I’m double-vaxxed, hopefully I’m on track to making the world safer.
drive-thru testing: getting a rapid Covid test from your car. Before they let me in I had to get drive-thru tested.
- E -
essential worker: someone who works in healthcare, transit, food, child care or something that contributes to keeping the city running. Essential workers risk their lives on the frontline, so they had access to the vaccines first.
- H -
hybrid learning: a combination of face-to-face learning and online learning. When schools opened back up, students had to do hybrid learning.
hygiene theater: a practice of taking hygiene measures such as wiping surfaces and wearing gloves and using hand sanitizer to give off the feeling of improved safety from the virus. It took about ten minutes to get into the store because of all the hygiene theater required.
- I -
immunocompromised: a person’s immune system's defenses are low, affecting its ability to fight off infections and diseases. People with this condition are at high risk to have serious problems with Covid-19. Doctors have to care for immunocompromised patients so they advise them to wash their hands and keep their hygiene up.
- L -
lockdown: a state of home isolation to keep from getting Covid. During the Covid pandemic the city was put on lockdown and most all public places were closed.
long hauler: person who has gotten Covid-19 but still has symptoms or has not fully recovered after a long period (weeks or even months). I can’t believe Steve’s still coughing and hasn’t gained back his sense of smell, only taste! Hasn’t it been like 4 weeks since he was diagnosed with Covid? What a long hauler!”
- M -
mask: a protective mask that covers the nose and mouth to prevent the spread of Covid. During the pandemic everyone had to wear a mask everywhere they went in public.
maskhole: someone who does not care about the well being of others and does not take the responsibility to put on a mask; also referred to someone who doesn’t believe in the pandemic. I ran into some maskhole while in the grocery store, I made sure to stay as far away as possible.
maskne: acne from wearing a mask Jackson refused to turn on her video in Zoom class because she had a terrible case of mascne.
mute (unmute): when you pull yourself back from speaking during zoom class. After speaking with Mr Rohlfing during class I put my audio on mute.
- N -
nonessential worker: someone who’s job isn’t crucial to keep things running during a time like a pandemic or after a natural disaster. Many office workers in New York City were nonessential workers so they worked from home during the worst months of the pandemic.
- P -
personal protective equipment (PPE): essential workers and non essential workers wear protective equipment to stay safe from contracting Covid-19. I think we’re running low on PPE again.
- Q -
quaranteens: a not-so-nice way to describe the generation that is stuck living their teenage years indoors during quarantine.
I hate being a quaranteen, I’m never going to enjoy my senior year :( no prom, no formal graduation!!
- R -
remote learning: the temporary move from in-person face-to-face learning to learning online from home. The school called and said we were switching to remote learning.
the Rona: the term we use to describe the coronavirus. Put your mask on, Rona outside.
- S -
shelter in place: find a safe location indoors and stay there until you are given an “all clear” or told it's safe to come out. We had to shelter in place when coronavirus hit New York City.
social distancing: the practice of staying more than 6 feet away from another person. Social distancing has proved to decrease the risk of being in contact with someone who may be infectious.
social isolation: when someone isolates themselves from society, usually because they have been exposed to someone with Covid or they have tested positive for Covid themselves. People do this so they don’t spread the virus. Last week I had to go through a social isolation because I tested positive for Covid.
social shaming: using social media to shame people. People social shame to make themselves feel better.
the shot: a needle going into your arm, also known as getting the vaccine. Today I have an appointment to get the shot.
stimmy: The stimulus check that American people received for financial help. Yo, my stimmy came in, let’s go to Miami!
superspreader: events that cause Covid-19 to spread fast to a large group of people;
a person who spreads the virus to a massive amount of people typically in the crowd or at a social gathering. Someone’s having another superspreader party. Stay away from that dude, you can tell he's a superspreader.
swab: a material used by health workers for taking samples from the nose for a Covid test; the act of taking a sample to test for Covid-19. The swabbing is then repeated on the other side of the nose to make sure enough material is collected. As she put the nasal swab up my nose, it felt as if I was going to sneeze.
- T -
test: the process in which people can know whether they carry the Covid virus or not. My mom went with her friend to get a test at City MD.
- U -
unemployment: people who lost their jobs received money to help pay bills. Yo, did you get unemployment today because you've been out of work for about two weeks now?
- V -
vaccine: a scientific breakthrough which helps the body develop immunity to the Covid-19 virus so you can live more freely. I would need the vaccine to go traveling.
vaccine hesitant: a person who delays or refuses to take the Covid-19 vaccination when it is first released. Mr. Jones was vaccine hesitant until he had to return to the school.
