VOA标准英语2009-Hajj Pilgrims Add H1N1 Vaccine to Ritual

About 2.5 million Muslims are converging¹ on Mecca this week to take part in the annual Hajj. This year many pilgrims are adding extra step to their preparations for the ritual - getting the H1N1 vaccine².

Elizabeth Arrott | Cairo 23 November 2009

The Great Mosque³ in Mecca, Saudi Arabia (file photo)

"If the vaccine is given properly and is a valid⁴ vaccine, Hajj is safe and mixing with people is safe," WHO advisor⁵ Dr. el-Saeed Aly Aown said.

About 2.5 million Muslims are converging on Mecca this week to take part in the annual Hajj.  This year many pilgrims are adding extra step to their preparations for the ritual - getting the H1N1 vaccine. 

Getting ready

Soad, a well-educated women in her 50s from Cairo, has made the Hajj several times before.

As usual getting ready for the trip, one of the five pillars of Islam, involved arranging visas, finding a travel agency and packing special clothes.  But this year there was an added task, a trip to the doctor to get vaccinated⁶ against the so-called Swine Flu.

The idea of millions of people from all over the world standing⁷ shoulder to shoulder, sharing germs as well as spirituality, has health officials alarmed. 

Precautions, vaccinations⁸ advised

Saudi authorities say that because it is a religious event, they are not banning anyone from taking part.  But they have urged other countries to follow precautions, such as age restrictions⁹ and vaccinations, to slow the spread of the disease.

Soad, who prefers not to give her last name, is not particularly concerned.

"H1N1 is a flu like any other," she said. "Perhaps there has been a greater outcry because it spreads fast but it is not so extremely dangerous as to prevent us from doing the ordained¹⁰ proceeding¹¹ or even repeating an event of such great merit."

No confidence in vaccine

Saudi Arabia reported four H1N1 deaths in the days leading up to the Hajj.  It has boosted its already massive logistical planning this year, deploying¹² 20,000 health workers and thermal-scanning arrivals for any sign of fever.

Having made the journey before, Soad says she has full confidence in the Saudi's ability to protect their visitors.

Her son, who is accompanying his mother in Mecca, agrees.  But he has no confidence in the vaccine."

"I feel uncomfortable with it and I do not think it should be imposed.  It should be suggested," he said. "Who wants to take it, it is his own free choice."

The 26-year-old banker says he got vaccinated against the regular flu.  But he admits he skipped the H1N1 vaccine, which Egypt has mandated¹³ for all pilgrims.

He does not explain how he got the required certificate, but the nature of Egyptian bureaucracy has made many here experts in creative alternatives.

Soad's son says he does not think the vaccine has been tested enough and he worries about possible side effects.

Lack of testing

Reports that several people in Sweden died after getting vaccinated have fueled those concerns.  The Polish government has held off buying the vaccine, citing a lack of testing.  

But doctors point out that all the Swedish victims had other, underlying¹⁴ health problems.  And the World Health Organization has repeatedly said the vaccine is safe.

Dr. el-Saeed Aly Aown, an advisor to the WHO and a former Egyptian government health official, says there has been sufficient testing.  He says that for most people, especially those going on Hajj, the vaccine is a reasonable measure to take.

Dr. Aown says that "if the vaccine is given properly and is a valid vaccine, Hajj is safe and mixing with people is safe."

For Soad, a Hajj veteran, there are other factors to consider.

"God Almighty¹⁵ told us in the Koran that we will only get whatever God fated for us," she said.  "And we rely on God.  We take precautions, and rely on God."

1 converging   

adj.收敛[缩]的，会聚的，趋同的v.（线条、运动的物体等）会于一点( converge的现在分词 )；（趋于）相似或相同；人或车辆汇集；聚集

参考例句：

• Plants had gradually evolved along diverging and converging pathways. 植物是沿着趋异和趋同两种途径逐渐演化的。 来自辞典例句
• This very slowly converging series was known to Leibniz in 1674. 这个收敛很慢的级数是莱布尼茨在1674年得到的。 来自辞典例句

2 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。

3 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

4 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

5 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

6 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？

7 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

8 vaccinations   

n.种痘，接种( vaccination的名词复数 )；牛痘疤

参考例句：

• Vaccinations ensure one against diseases. 接种疫苗可以预防疾病。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I read some publicity about vaccinations while waiting my turn at the doctor's. 在医生那儿候诊时，我读了一些关于接种疫苗的宣传。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

10 ordained   

v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定

参考例句：

• He was ordained in 1984. 他在一九八四年被任命为牧师。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was ordained priest. 他被任命为牧师。 来自辞典例句

11 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

12 deploying   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的现在分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Provides support for developing and deploying distributed, component-based applications. 为开发和部署基于组件的分布式应用程序提供支持。
• Advertisement, publishing, repair, and install-on-demand are all available when deploying your application. 在部署应用程序时提供公布、发布、修复和即需即装功能。

13 mandated   

adj. 委托统治的

参考例句：

• Mandated desegregation of public schools. 命令解除公立学校中的种族隔离
• Britain was mandated to govern the former colony of German East Africa. 英国受权代管德国在东非的前殖民地。

14 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

15 almighty   

adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的

参考例句：

• Those rebels did not really challenge Gods almighty power.这些叛徒没有对上帝的全能力量表示怀疑。
• It's almighty cold outside.外面冷得要命。