Should virus-naming rules change during a pandemic? The question divides virologists

Should virus-naming rules change during a pandemic? The question divides virologists

Plan to change virus-naming rules

Virologists are debating whether to establish a standardized system for naming virus species later this year. Some say that the current way in which viruses are named is disorganized, and that there is a pressing need for clearer rules. But others argue that now is not the time to engage in an academic discussion over naming conventions. “It is obviously good and correct to have a standardized classification scheme for naming virus species, as the current ‘system’ is utterly chaotic,” says virologist Edward Holmes. But the effort “can hardly be classed as ‘urgent’ compared to a global pandemic”, he adds.
Nature | 7 min read

Bat coronavirus ‘poised for human crossover’

Coronaviruses with the potential to infect humans might have been circulating in bats for many years. Researchers compared the genetic make-up of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 to related bat viruses and found that one of the closest known ancestors of SARS-CoV-2 emerged in these animals between 40 and 70 years ago. "This is significant in pointing to the scale and nature of the problems that zoonotic transmission presents to humans,” says biologist Mark Pagel. “There may be numerous and as yet undetected viruses capable of infecting humans that reside in animal hosts."
BBC News | 4 min read

Viral hotspots spread across the United States

Twenty public-health experts, from clinicians to epidemiologists, historians and sociologists, discuss the situation in the United States, where the coronavirus has left no corner of the country untouched. They say local restrictions need to be tightened, testing must become targeted and masks should not be politicized. People of colour, who will continue to be disproportionately affected by the pandemic, also need to be a target of interventions. “By the time that minority patient sets foot in a hospital, he is already on an unequal footing,” says Elaine Hernandez, a sociologist at Indiana University.
The New York Times | 17 min read