美国国家公共电台 NPR--美国将分发免费新冠检测盒和N95口罩

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The federal government offers free COVID-19 tests and N95 masks

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Each U.S. household can order four tests from COVIDtests.gov. The administration also plans to give out 400 million N95 masks for free through pharmacies², grocery stores and community health centers.

DEBBIE ELLIOTT, HOST:

The Biden administration is planning to give out 400 million N95 masks for free through pharmacies, grocery stores and community health centers. The idea being better access to high-quality masks might help control the spread of COVID-19. And after many weeks of promising³ that more tests will be available soon, the administration will start sending millions of rapid at-home COVID tests to people's homes, also free of charge. A new website covidtests.gov is now up and running, aimed at making the ordering process easy. NPR's Allison Aubrey joins us now to discuss this. Hello. Good morning.

ALLISON AUBREY, BYLINE⁴: Good morning, Debbie.

ELLIOTT: So let's start with the basics. What is the process for ordering tests?

AUBREY: You know, it's really straightforward⁵. You go to covidtests.gov. You type in your name. You type in your address. You share an email if you want shipping⁶ updates. And the tests will be mailed to you for free. In my experience - I ordered some yesterday - it is super easy, took me less than a minute. There is a limit to how many you can order - four per household. And they will be shipped out via the U.S. Postal⁷ Service usually within seven to 12 days of ordering, the administration says, with the first shipments in late January.

ELLIOTT: That's a bit of a wait...

AUBREY: Yeah.

ELLIOTT: ...Given that we're in this surge right now. What is taking so long?

AUBREY: You know, part of the explanation is that manufacturers are still trying to ramp⁸ up production. It also takes a bit of time to scale up a new program that will reach tens of millions of households. The Biden administration is purchasing 1 billion at-home rapid antigen tests. About 420 million of these tests are already under contract, with more contracts in the works. And remember; these tests are in addition to the millions of other COVID tests also being purchased with federal funds that are being distributed to long-term care facilities, to community health centers, rural health clinics and to schools. The American Rescue Plan included about $10 billion in funding to support COVID-19 testing in schools.

ELLIOTT: There has been some concern about just how accurate these tests are. What do we know about that?

AUBREY: You know, these rapid antigen tests are not great at detecting early infections before people are symptomatic. They're just not as sensitive as the PCR tests. So, you know, there may be some people asking, can you really rely on them? I think the answer is that while they're not perfect, these tests do give you some real-time information to act on if you follow the manufacturer's directions. So for the BinaxNOW test, this means doing two tests more than 24 hours apart because, often, early in an infection, the first test may come back negative. And there is some new data to show that the rapid antigen tests are about as reliable at detecting omicron as they were detecting at delta⁹.

ELLIOTT: Now, briefly¹⁰, what about people who might not have internet access? How will they be able to get these free tests?

AUBREY: You know, the Biden administration announced a phone line will be set up for people to call to order these tests. They're also working with community-based organizations that can help submit requests.

ELLIOTT: NPR's Allison Aubrey. Thanks so much.

AUBREY: Thank you, Debbie.

1 transcript   

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 pharmacies   

药店

参考例句：

• Still, 32 percent of the pharmacies filled the prescriptions. 但仍然有32%的药剂师配发了这两张药方。 来自互联网
• Chinese herbal pharmacies, and traditional massage therapists in the Vancouver telephone book. 中药店，和传统的按摩师在温哥华的电话簿里。 来自互联网

3 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

6 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

7 postal   

adj.邮政的，邮局的

参考例句：

• A postal network now covers the whole country.邮路遍及全国。
• Remember to use postal code.勿忘使用邮政编码。

8 ramp   

n.暴怒，斜坡，坡道；vi.作恐吓姿势，暴怒，加速；vt.加速

参考例句：

• That driver drove the car up the ramp.那司机将车开上了斜坡。
• The factory don't have that capacity to ramp up.这家工厂没有能力加速生产。

9 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

10 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。