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The Daily Insight

Is COVID-19 virus similar to SARS?

Author

Henry Morales

Published Apr 08, 2026

This new coronavirus is similar to SARS-CoV, so it was named SARS-CoV-2 The disease caused by the virus was named COVID-19 (COronVIrusDisease-2019) to show that it was discovered in 2019.

Can you still have detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA after recovering from COVID-19?

Some people who have recovered may have detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA in upper respiratory specimens for up to 3 months after illness onset, albeit at concentrations considerably lower than during illness, in ranges where replication-competent virus has not been reliably recovered and infectiousness is unlikely.

How does your immune system act after you recover from COVID-19?

After you recover from a virus, your immune system retains a memory of it. That means that if you get infected again, proteins and immune cells in your body can recognize and kill the virus, protecting you from the disease and reducing its severity.

What is the difference between SARS and MERS?

Symptoms of the novel coronavirus strain are milder than SARS and MERS, but it transmits from human-to-human faster than them. Besides, the mortality rate of SARS-CoV-2 is lower (3.4%) than that of SARS-CoV (9.6%) and MERS (35%) [5].

How does COVID-19 differ from the other coronaviruses?

The virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2, is part of a large family of coronaviruses. Coronaviruses usually cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses, like the common cold. However, SARS-CoV-2 can cause serious illness and even death.

When did coronavirus-related diseases first arise?

The first severe coronavirus-linked illness — severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) — emerged in China in 2003, while another — Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) — arose in Saudi Arabia in 2012.

Is it possible to get infected twice with COVID-19?

There is currently no conclusive evidence that points to how long coronavirus immunity lasts. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there here have been a few recorded cases of coronavirus reinfection, but they remain rare.

What is known about the immune response to COVID-19?

For COVID-19, we do not yet have enough data to confirm if antibodies protect,what antibody levels are required, or how long protection will last.

What does SARS-CoV-2 stand for?

SARS-CoV-2 stands for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. It is a virus that causes respiratory illness in humans.

What does a negative SARS-CoV-2 antibody test mean?

A negative result on a SARS-CoV-2 antibody test means antibodies to the virus were not detected in your sample. It could mean: • You have not been infected with COVID-19 previously. • You had COVID-19 in the past but you did not develop or have not yet developed detectable antibodies.