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美国国家公共电台 NPR--The winter holidays are once again colliding with a surge in illnesses

时间:2023-10-18 02:18:32

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The winter holidays are once again colliding with a surge in illnesses

Transcript1

NPR's Leila Fadel talks to Dr. Ashish Jha, White House COVID Response coordinator2, about COVID, flu, RSV and what Americans need to know to stay healthy during the holiday season.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

The holidays are here, and millions of people are getting together with their loved ones this weekend. But they'll likely be joined by several uninvited guests - COVID, RSV, the flu and the old-school seasonal3 cold. Because is it a holiday without a surge of winter illnesses? For some guidance on how to stay healthy this holiday season, let's turn to Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House's COVID response coordinator. Thanks for joining me. Good morning.

ASHISH JHA: Good morning. Thanks for having me here.

FADEL: OK. So this weekend is going to be filled with people sitting around tables, eating, talking, laughing - basically a germ fest. So what advice do you have for people to both enjoy the holiday and be healthy?

JHA: Yeah. So first of all, it's obviously been a really difficult couple of years.

FADEL: Yeah.

JHA: Nice for people to be able to gather again safely. And the No. 1 thing that we can all do to make sure that we are gathering4 safely is being up to date on our vaccines6.

FADEL: Yeah.

JHA: It really is. Both flu and COVID - we have terrific vaccines that have both been updated this year. And I understand for some people who may say, well, I'm gathering this weekend, is it too late? You know, still going out and getting it right now will mean that you'll start having some protection within about a week. And so that's No. 1. I think that's really important. You know, if you're gathering with somebody who's high risk, then taking a test for COVID before you gather can really make a difference, too. That's what we have done in our family - is when I gather with my elderly parents, just making sure no one's bringing along that uninvited guest. And then last but not least, certainly if people - somebody gets - ends up getting infected, making sure they get treated; Paxlovid for COVID, Tamiflu for influenza7. We really have effective treatments. If we do these things, gathering safely becomes much more possible.

FADEL: Let's talk about Tamiflu and Paxlovid. I mean, the administration announced it's releasing more of the antiviral drug, Tamiflu, from the national stockpile. Paxlovid, is that widely available now for those under 50?

JHA: Yeah. So first of all, we have plenty of both of those drugs.

FADEL: OK.

JHA: We have plenty of Paxlovid. Tamiflu, we've got this in the Strategic National Stockpile. We're releasing them right now because there is an increased demand. I do believe anybody over 50 who gets infected with either of these two viruses should get treated. Under 50, the evidence that it's going to be beneficial is just not as good, partly because people under 50 are at lower risk. Obviously, if you're under 50 and have chronic8 conditions, then that changes the ballgame.

FADEL: Yeah.

JHA: But certainly, anyone over 50 should absolutely get considered for treatment.

FADEL: You mentioned get vaccinated9, but the vaccination10 rate for the booster is incredibly low - I think about 15% at this point. I mean, is there anything you're doing to get people out there and get vaccinated?

JHA: Yeah. So we've - you know, we've taken a multi-prong strategy here, right? And first, it begins with just making it widely available. So it is everywhere. You can get it at CVS, Walgreens, your doctor's office.

FADEL: But does it matter...

JHA: Lots and lots of places.

FADEL: ...If people aren't getting it?

JHA: Yeah, the second is trying to communicate to people the importance of this. You know, I think part of it is it's been a long pandemic. A lot of people think, well, I got my vaccines last year. Do I really need it?

FADEL: Yeah.

JHA: Reminding people I don't count on my last year's flu vaccine5 to get me through this winter. It's the same thing with COVID. You can't rely on your booster from six months or nine months ago to get you through COVID this winter, given that the virus that's circulating is so different. So, you know, and the last thing, Leila, is that we're really starting to work much more closely with trusted messengers, religious leaders, political, social leaders, having them really carry the message because it really is a shared responsibility to get Americans vaccinated this winter.

FADEL: In the few seconds we have left, I mean, we got some pretty upsetting news this week from the CDC. Americans' life expectancy11 has dropped for the second year in a row, partly due to COVID but also drug overdoses. Your reaction to that?

JHA: Yeah, I mean, again, I start with where I began earlier, which is it's been a very difficult two years for Americans. In the first year, we - I think I would argue that in 2020, we really botched the pandemic response. We're now at a point where these deaths are becoming unnecessary. If people stayed up to date on their vaccines and got treated, no one really needs to die. So we can do better here.

FADEL: Dr. Ashish Jha, thank you so much for your time. Happy holidays.

JHA: Thank you. Happy holidays.


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 transcript JgpzUp     
n.抄本,誊本,副本,肄业证书
参考例句:
  • A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
  • They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。
2 coordinator Gvazk6     
n.协调人
参考例句:
  • The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下,负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
  • How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室?
3 seasonal LZ1xE     
adj.季节的,季节性的
参考例句:
  • The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
  • The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。
4 gathering ChmxZ     
n.集会,聚会,聚集
参考例句:
  • He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
  • He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。
5 vaccine Ki1wv     
n.牛痘苗,疫苗;adj.牛痘的,疫苗的
参考例句:
  • The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
  • She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。
6 vaccines c9bb57973a82c1e95c7cd0f4988a1ded     
疫苗,痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
  • The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。
7 influenza J4NyD     
n.流行性感冒,流感
参考例句:
  • They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
  • Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。
8 chronic BO9zl     
adj.(疾病)长期未愈的,慢性的;极坏的
参考例句:
  • Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
  • Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。
9 vaccinated 8f16717462e6e6db3389d0f736409983     
[医]已接种的,种痘的,接种过疫菌的
参考例句:
  • I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
  • Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗?
10 vaccination bKGzM     
n.接种疫苗,种痘
参考例句:
  • Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
  • Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。
11 expectancy tlMys     
n.期望,预期,(根据概率统计求得)预期数额
参考例句:
  • Japanese people have a very high life expectancy.日本人的平均寿命非常长。
  • The atomosphere of tense expectancy sobered everyone.这种期望的紧张气氛使每个人变得严肃起来。

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