美国国家公共电台 NPR--A new version of Moderna's COVID vaccine provides strong protection against Omicron

A new version of Moderna's COVID vaccine¹ provides strong protection against Omicron

Transcript²

Moderna saysa new version of its COVID-19 vaccine appears to provide strong protection against the omicron variant³ as well as the original viral strain.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

There's a potentially promising⁴ development this morning about COVID-19 vaccines⁵. Moderna says that a new version of its vaccine appears to provide strong protection against the omicron variant. NPR health correspondent Rob Stein joins us now to discuss.

Good morning.

ROB STEIN, BYLINE⁶: Good morning.

FADEL: So what is this new version of Moderna's vaccine?

STEIN: It targets the original strain of the virus and the omicron variant. It's a kind of double-barreled vaccine known as a bivalent vaccine. And the company says it looks like it provides much stronger protection against omicron than the original shot when used as a booster, boosting the level of antibodies against omicron much more than just getting another shot of the original vaccine.

Here's Dr. Paul Burton, the chief medical officer at Moderna.

PAUL BURTON: For the first time in the world, we now know that if you vaccinate⁷ people with a booster that contains the omicron messenger RNA, you can give them extremely good antibody levels of protection against omicron. That's new. We didn't know that. We predicted it, but we didn't know it. So that's very important.

STEIN: And Burton thinks the protection is so strong that it could potentially last a year, meaning people would only need annual boosters from now on.

FADEL: So does this mean everyone should get yet another booster, but this time with this new double-barreled vaccine?

STEIN: Well, you know, I need to stress that all we know about this right now is what the company is saying in a news release. They haven't released detailed⁸ data that other scientists have been able to verify. Some say the results appear to be very exciting, assuming the company's claims hold up under further scrutiny⁹.

Here's Deepta Bhattacharya, an immunologist at the University of Arizona.

DEEPTA BHATTACHARYA: It sure sounds like the omicron-updated vaccine is working, which is very good news.

STEIN: It would be very good news because the protection people got from their original shots so far has been fading, especially against the omicron variant. And new, even more contagious¹⁰ omicron variants¹¹ are taking over this country. And yet another wave of infections is likely next winter, when the cold weather drives everyone back indoors, where the virus spreads more easily. Other experts I've been in touch with about this this morning, though, remain skeptical¹², especially about how well the vaccine might work against some of these newer omicron subvariants that are even better at dodging¹³ the immune system.

FADEL: So what's next, then, in the process for this vaccine?

STEIN: So Moderna says it's submitting the company's results to the Food and Drug Administration, which is convening¹⁴ a meeting of outside experts at the end of the month to make some very important decisions. Is yet another booster definitely needed? If so, who should get one? Is it just people at high risk, or is it everybody? And if we need another shot, what should that next shot be exactly? Pfizer and BioNTech are also testing a bivalent version of their vaccine that targets omicron. And the National Institutes of Health is testing a variety of possibilities.

FADEL: So you joined us earlier this morning to talk about another COVID vaccine that's making progress as well. Can you tell us about that one from Novavax?

STEIN: Yeah, yeah. That's right. That's right. A key Food and Drug Administration advisory¹⁵ panel yesterday recommended the FDA authorize¹⁶ yet another vaccine - this Novavax vaccine. The hope is that it might entice¹⁷ some of the millions of people who still haven't gotten vaccinated¹⁸ to finally get inoculated¹⁹ because the Novavax vaccine uses a much more traditional technology. So it might appeal to people who are uncomfortable with the newer genetic²⁰ technique the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines use. That Novavax vaccine may also be useful as a booster as well.

FADEL: NPR health correspondent Rob Stein, thank you so much.

STEIN: Sure thing.

1 vaccine   

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。

2 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。

3 variant   

adj.不同的，变异的；n.变体，异体

参考例句：

• We give professional suggestions according to variant tanning stages for each customer.我们针对每位顾客不同的日晒阶段，提供强度适合的晒黑建议。
• In a variant of this approach,the tests are data- driven.这个方法的一个变种，是数据驱动的测试。

4 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。

5 vaccines   

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。

6 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。

7 vaccinate   

vt.给…接种疫苗；种牛痘

参考例句：

• Local health officials then can plan the best times to vaccinate people.这样，当地的卫生官员就可以安排最佳时间给人们接种疫苗。
• Doctors vaccinate us so that we do not catch smallpox.医生给我们打预防针使我们不会得天花。

8 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

9 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

10 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

11 variants   

n.变体( variant的名词复数 )；变种；变型；（词等的）变体

参考例句：

• Those variants will be preserved in the'struggle for existence". 这些变异将在“生存竞争”中被保留下来。 来自辞典例句
• Like organisms, viruses have variants, generally called strains. 与其他生物一样，病毒也有变种，一般称之为株系。 来自辞典例句

12 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

13 dodging   

n.避开，闪过，音调改变v.闪躲( dodge的现在分词 )；回避

参考例句：

• He ran across the road, dodging the traffic. 他躲开来往的车辆跑过马路。
• I crossed the highway, dodging the traffic. 我避开车流穿过了公路。 来自辞典例句

14 convening   

召开( convene的现在分词 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• When convening the assembly, however, you shall blow without sounding an alarm. 民10:7但招聚会众的时候、们要吹号、不要吹出大声。
• We warmly welcome the convening of Asia-Europe meeting in London. 热烈欢迎亚欧会议在伦敦召开。

15 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

16 authorize   

v.授权，委任；批准，认可

参考例句：

• He said that he needed to get his supervisor to authorize my refund.他说必须让主管人员批准我的退款。
• Only the President could authorize the use of the atomic bomb.只有总统才能授权使用原子弹。

17 entice   

v.诱骗，引诱，怂恿

参考例句：

• Nothing will entice the children from television.没有任何东西能把孩子们从电视机前诱开。
• I don't see why the English should want to entice us away from our native land.我不明白，为什英国人要引诱我们离开自己的国土。

18 vaccinated   

[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？

19 inoculated   

v.给…做预防注射( inoculate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A pedigree pup should have been inoculated against serious diseases before it's sold. 纯种狗应该在出售前注射预防严重疾病的针。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Disease can be spread by dirty tools, insects, inoculated soil. 疾病也能由不干净的工具，昆虫，接种的土壤传播。 来自辞典例句

20 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。