美国国家公共电台 NPR--CDC's new guidance ends test-to-stay for schools and relaxes COVID rules

CDC's new guidance ends test-to-stay for schools and relaxes COVID rules

Transcript¹

The CDC stopped recommending quarantines or test-to-stay in schools. It's part of a relaxation² of COVID guidance that acknowledges the virus is here to stay, and that many people have prior immunity³.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Americans are getting new advice on how to live with COVID-19.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

Yeah. On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed some of its guidance on what to do when you've been exposed to COVID and how schools handle the virus.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

GRETA MASSETTI: Regardless of vaccination⁴ status, we are no longer recommending quarantine after an exposure.

MARTINEZ: That's Greta Massetti, a top CDC official. Now, the aim is to simplify COVID rules, as many states have already done.

FADEL: NPR health reporter Pien Huang joins us now to discuss. Good morning, Pien.

PIEN HUANG, BYLINE⁵: Good morning, Leila.

FADEL: So what exactly is the CDC changing?

HUANG: Well, a few key things. As you just heard, the CDC is no longer recommending quarantine for people who get exposed to the virus. Remember, that's when you've just been around someone who gets COVID, but you yourself don't have any symptoms. So they're saying in that situation, you should mask, but so long as you feel fine, you can go about your life. And that's a change they're bringing into schools as well. So now there's no need to quarantine or take special measures unless you're actively⁶ sick. So that effectively means they're ending what's known as test to stay, which was a strategy where kids who got exposed to COVID could still go to school if they tested negative. Now no tests are needed so long as they're feeling fine. And this, along with a few other changes, shows that the CDC just doesn't think it's important or practical to keep finding asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic cases. With this guidance as well, they're not giving different advice anymore for vaccinated⁷ and unvaccinated people. What they're focusing on instead is isolating⁸ people who are actively sick and stopping serious illness.

FADEL: What's been the reaction to these changes?

HUANG: Well, it's mixed. I mean, dealing⁹ with COVID in schools has been controversial, and some worry that this is going too far. But overall, the reaction skews towards positive. Many people told me that this makes sense given where we're at. Dr. Marcus Plescia from the Association for State and Territorial¹⁰ Health Officials says that the new CDC guidance shifts the burden towards individuals figuring out their own levels of risk and how they want to deal with it.

MARCUS PLESCIA: And I think that is consistent because where we are with the pandemic right now, I don't really think there are many state or local jurisdictions¹¹ that are feeling that they're going to need to start making mandates¹² about, you know, social interactions and wearing masks.

HUANG: And he says that that's how public health deals with flu. Every year, they encourage people to get vaccinated. They give tips on how to avoid getting it or spreading it. But they're not closing schools down or requiring mask wearing to stop every case.

FADEL: OK. But this is a big change. How did the CDC justify¹³ relaxing its COVID rules?

HUANG: Well, they said that we're in a place where most people in the U.S. have at least some protection from the virus. Here's Greta Massetti, the senior CDC official, again.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

MASSETTI: High levels of population immunity due to vaccination and previous infection, and the many available tools to protect the general population and protect people at higher risk, allow us to focus on protecting people from serious illness from COVID-19.

HUANG: About 95% of people in the U.S. have either gotten vaccinated or have recovered from COVID or both. Still, we know that doesn't mean you can't catch the virus, just hopefully that you'll have a mild case. So Massetti said that there's booster shots, antivirals, special shots for the immunocompromised. There are several layers out there that can help stop many people from getting hospitalized or dying from COVID.

FADEL: NPR's Pien Huang, thank you.

HUANG: You're welcome.

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 relaxation   

n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐

参考例句：

• The minister has consistently opposed any relaxation in the law.部长一向反对法律上的任何放宽。
• She listens to classical music for relaxation.她听古典音乐放松。

3 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

4 vaccination   

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。

5 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。

6 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

7 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？

8 isolating   

adj.孤立的，绝缘的v.使隔离( isolate的现在分词 )；将…剔出（以便看清和单独处理）；使（某物质、细胞等）分离；使离析

参考例句：

• Colour filters are not very effective in isolating narrow spectral bands. 一些滤色片不能很有效地分离狭窄的光谱带。 来自辞典例句
• This became known as the streak method for isolating bacteria. 这个方法以后就称为分离细菌的划线法。 来自辞典例句

9 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

10 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

11 jurisdictions   

司法权( jurisdiction的名词复数 )； 裁判权； 管辖区域； 管辖范围

参考例句：

• Butler entreated him to remember the act abolishing the heritable jurisdictions. 巴特勒提醒他注意废除世袭审判权的国会法令。
• James I personally adjudicated between the two jurisdictions. 詹姆士一世亲自裁定双方纠纷。

12 mandates   

托管（mandate的第三人称单数形式）

参考例句：

• Individual mandates would require all people to purchase health insurance. 个人托管要求所有人都要购买健康保险。
• While I agree with those benefits, I'm not a supporter of mandates. 我同意上述好处，我不是授权软件的支持者。

13 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？