The Hindu Editorial (Easing off) – Dec 29, 2020

As 2020 draws to a close, Indians will look forward to the new year with wariness and hope after suffering one of the worst years in history,… For further reading, visit “The Hindu”. Below is today’s word list-1 for The Hindu Editorial (Easing off) – Dec 29, 2020.

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Today’s word list-1 for The Hindu Editorial (Easing off) – Dec 29, 2020:

ease off (phrasal verb) – abate, subside, diminish, lessen, grow less.
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)
case fatality rate/ratio (noun) – in epidemiology, the proportion of people who die from a particular disease compared to all individuals diagnosed with the disease over a certain period of time.
draw to a close (phrase) – to come to an end.
look forward to (phrasal verb) – anticipate, expect, hope for.
wariness (noun) – caution, carefulness, alertness, circumspection; suspicion, scepticism.
livelihood (noun) – means of making a living with the basic necessities (food, water, shelter and clothing); means of support, subsistence, source of income.
pandemic (noun) – the worldwide spread of a new disease; The illness spreads around the world and typically affects a large number of people across a wide area.
rage (verb) – (of a disease) spread very quickly or uncontrollably; be at its height, be uncontrollable; reach a high degree of intensity.
scale (verb) – ascend, go up/over, mount, climb up/over.
close in (phrasal verb) – to come nearer to something.
in contrast (phrase) – when compared to another.
come down (phrasal verb) – decline, reduce, lessen.
significantly (adverb) – notably, appreciably, importantly.
rolling (adjective) – occurring in a steady & continuous way.
middling (adjective) – average, normal, medium.
drop (noun) – decrease, reduction, decline, downturn.
rather than (phrase) – instead of.
head/go south (phrase) – reduce in number/value.
infrastructure (noun) – system.
barring (preposition) – except for, with the exception of, apart from, other than, excluding.
social/physical distancing (noun) – a term means actively avoiding crowded public places, is a key element in decreasing the rapid spread of COVID-19. This is an effort intended to limit exposure by reducing face-to-face contact and preventing spread among people in community settings.
go through (phrasal verb) – undergo, experience, be subjected to, live through.
come as a surprise (phrase) – to make someone feel surprised.
virologist (noun) – a specialist in virology (the study of viruses and viral diseases).
widespread (adjective) – general, common.
reflect (verb) – indicate, show, reveal, exhibit.
apparently (adverb) – seemingly, evidently, it appears that.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) (noun) – the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research, is one of the oldest medical research bodies in the world. As early as in 1911, the Government of India set up the Indian Research Fund Association (IRFA) with the specific objective of sponsoring and coordinating medical research in the country. It was redesignated in 1949 as the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The ICMR is funded by the Government of India through the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
serosurvey (noun) – collection and testing of serum (or proxy such as oral fluid) specimens from a sample of a
defined population over a specified period of time to estimate the prevalence of antibodies against a given
specific infectious pathogen as an indicator of immunity.
reveal (verb) – show, display, exhibit, disclose.
undetected (adjective) – not discovered.
asymptomatic (adjective) – relating to a condition/person with no symptoms.
symptomatic (adjective) – relating to a condition/person with symptoms.
pre-symptomatic (adjective) – relating to a condition/person with mild illness/symptoms.
ravage (verb) – devastate, ruin, destroy.
expose (verb) – be subjected to something (infectious agents & others).
herd immunity (noun) – also known as “population immunity”; it refers to a means (ways) of protecting a whole community from disease by immunizing a critical mass of its populace (population). It is also defined as a form of indirect protection from infectious disease that occurs when a large percentage of a population are immune to an infection, thereby providing a measure of protection for individuals who are not immune.
vaccination (noun) – treatment with a vaccine to protect against a particular disease; immunization.
drive (noun) – campaign, movement, effort, push.
epidemic (noun) – eruption, outbreak, outburst, flare-up.
endemic (adjective) – (of a disease) prevalent in or restricted to a particular location.
outbreak (noun) – outburst, flaring up, breakout, sudden appearance/occurrence of something.
variant (noun) – different or form or version or mutant of something (virus).
hygiene (noun) – cleanliness.
(contact) tracing (noun) – it is defined as the identification and follow up of persons who may have come into contact with a person infected with the virus.