On February 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO), following guidelines developed with the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), announced "COVID-19" as the official name of the new disease, which was later classified as a global pandemic. On the same day, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) announced that "severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus II" (SARS-CoV-2) as the official name of the virus because it was genetically related to the coronavirus responsible for the SARS outbreak in 2003, the two viruses are different.
Why do the virus and the disease have different names? Viruses are named based on their genetic structure to facilitate the development of diagnostic tests, vaccines and medicines. Diseases are named to enable discussion on disease prevention, spread, transmissibility, severity and treatment. The WHO requests all countries to activate and upgrade emergency response mechanisms; to inform the public about the risks of the virus and how to protect themselves; to find, isolate, test and treat every case of the new coronavirus, and to trace every chain of contact. This may be the way to change the trend of this global pandemic. This battle against the COVID-19 has caused huge economic losses and casualties, among them there are frontline medical personnel who sacrificed themselves in the fight against this epidemic.
In response to the call from the WHO, aiming to promote and educate the people, to commend the heroes in the fight against the epidemic, many countries and regions have issued commemorative or donated stamps, in additional to their issuance plan in 2020, in order to give supports or to raise funds for the fight against the epidemic collectively. This action also brings up the COVID-19 as a new philatelic theme. These stamp issues on display in this temporary exhibition are fabricated by postal administrations of different countries and regions. Despite their presentation in different languages, formats or materials, "Fight Against the Epidemic Together"is the mutual belief and determination of all people around the world. The unremitting perseverance of medical professionals and people from all over the world who joined together in a concerted effort to face difficulties and challenges, aiming at a steadfast mission to endeavor all efforts in overcoming the epidemic and recover the normalcy of the past.
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