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Wikipedia:Today's featured article/requests/Introduction to viruses

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Introduction to viruses

[edit]
This is the archived discussion of the TFAR nomination for the article below. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as Wikipedia talk:Today's featured article/requests). Please do not modify this page.

The result was: scheduled for Wikipedia:Today's featured article/March 27, 2020 by Wehwalt (talk) 13:43, 24 March 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Coronavirus
A virus is a biological agent that reproduces inside the cells of living hosts. Unlike most living things, viruses do not have cells that divide, instead they force infected host cells to produce thousands of identical copies of the original virus, at an extraordinary rate. A virus consists of two or three parts: genes, made from either DNA or RNA, long molecules that carry the genetic information; a protein coat that protects the genes; and in some, an envelope of fat that surrounds and protects them when they are not contained within a host cell (and makes them vulnerable to soap). Viruses spread in different ways; some through the air by people when they cough or sneeze, others by the faecal–oral route, and some by direct contact or during sex. Over 4,800 species have been discovered, many of which cause disease in plants and animals, including common human diseases such as the common cold, chickenpox and cold sores, and serious epidemic and pandemic outbreaks such as HIV, Ebola, influenza, SARS and COVID-19. (Full article...)
  • Most recent similar article(s): Tourette syndrome on March 3, 2020
  • Main editors: Graham Beards
  • Promoted: July 12, 2008
  • Reasons for nomination: This article already ran TFA in October 2012, but is a significant, timely and relevant article to present to our mainpage readers considering the coronavirus pandemic. It has been updated to incorporate coronavirus content.
  • Support as nominator. Although all of April TFA is already scheduled, multiple other writers of TFAs already scheduled have said they would give up the TFA slot so this could run while it is a timely topic. Before TFA moved towards scheduling articles well in advance, it had the ability to quickly juggle relevant topics on the mainpage to respond to current events.
    Yes, there are already many coronavirus articles on the mainpage In the news, and unfortunately, quality of those articles is hit-and-miss, and yet they are getting millions of daily pageviews; this FA presents an opportunity to highlight accurate and timely featured content during a worldwide crisis.
    In terms of date choices available, running it soonest possible would be preferable. If the community agrees that this FA is worthy of running a second time, the Coords have several possibilities now for how and when to make that happen. Choices are (date, article replaced, main editors)
3 April replacing Rodrigues starling, FunkMonk
8 April replacing Gerard (archbishop of York), Ealdgyth
10 April replacing Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca, Sasata & Casliber
7 April replacing South Pacific (musical) (last choice, because we need FUN these days), Ssilvers & Wehwalt
If this proposal passes and passes soon enough, Ergo Sum has also offered 27 March. With appreciation in advance for the effort of Coords to juggle the queue, and especially to all the editors who agreed to give up a slot. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 17:42, 21 March 2020 (UTC)[reply]