Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
The SARS-CoV-2 virus looks like a round ball with spikes all around it. There are four parts to the virus: the spikes, a membrane, an envelope, and the virus' genetic material, or ribonucleic acid (RNA)  Each of these four parts is a different protein molecule. The spikes, membrane, and envelope are together called the viral envelope, or outer layer, of the virus.