University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

According to WP:INTRO uncommon terms should not be used in the lead unless they are essential to the topic. The words "contact" and "close contact" in epidemiology mean the point of transmission of a disease or a person who has spread the disease at a point of transmission. Since the ordinary meaning of "contact" in the context of explaining specific proximity means a "union or junction of surfaces", i.e., to touch, the use of the phrase "close contact" should not be used in the lead. Since non-epidemiologists will assume the phase means "to touch", the phrase should be avoided and instead specific language describing the closeness of proximity required for transmission should be used. Sparkie82 (t•c) 14:18, 2 July 2020 (UTC)


Wikipedia:INTRO states that using uncommon words could confuse non-epidemiologists, and instead specific terms should be used

The user RexxS argues that CDC- which is a primary source of information - uses confusing terminology and  questions using different phraseology from the primary source . 

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