COVID-19 Glossary

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D

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid. Many of our genes are stored in DNA. Some are stored in RNA. DNA is a sort of blueprint. It tells our bodies how to grow, assemble themselves, and go about the business of living. Coronaviruses are RNA viruses, so they don’t contain DNA.

drive-through testing

Individuals remain in their vehicles, and medical staff in protective gear come to administer the swab test and the swabs are sent to a laboratory for testing.

droplet transmission/spread

A mode of transmission for a contagious disease that involves relatively large, short-range (less than 6 feet) respiratory droplets produced by sneezing, coughing, or talking.