VOA标准英语2009年-Hungary's Health Authority Warns Santa

Hungarian health authorities have launched a national campaign warning Hungary's Santa Claus to avoid kissing children and shaking their hands to prevent spreading the swine flu virus. They also want him to get vaccinated¹ against the illness. About 16 people have died of the H1N1 virus in Hungary, hundreds of others in neighboring Eastern European nations.

Stefan Bos | Budapest 03 December 2009

A Hungarian 'Santa Claus' getting inoculated² with H1N1 swine flu vaccine³ in Budapest, 03 Dec 2009

Hungarian health authorities have launched a national campaign warning Hungary's Santa Claus to avoid kissing children and shaking their hands to prevent spreading the swine flu virus.  They also want him to get vaccinated against the illness.  About 16 people have died of the H1N1 virus in Hungary hundreds of others in neighboring Eastern European nations.   

If it is up to the Hungarian state health authority, Santa Claus, known here as 'Mikulas', will keep his distance from children amid concerns over swine flu.

But Mikulas says he wants to visit kids anywhere, from homes to orphanages⁴ and hospitals.

He does not arrive empty handed.  According to legend, Mikulas will put gifts in children's shoes, or socks, placed in front of windows in the night of December 5 through December 6.    

Hungary's chief medical officer, Dr. Ferenc Falus, has mixed feelings about his plans.

With tens of thousands of Hungarians already infected by the swine flu virus, H1N1, and more than a dozen dying of the disease, Dr. Falus demands Mikulas and his helpers be careful when approaching children.

Dr. Falus tells VOA News the state-run National Public Health and Medical Office Service (ANTSZ) launched a nationwide awareness⁵ campaign to get Mikulas vaccinated. 

He says the action is also aimed at encouraging Hungary's Santa Claus to observe basic hygiene⁶.  

"We advise Santa Claus to wash is beard and mustache, and not to kiss the children," said Ferenc Falus. "And [we also advise him to] clean his hands and clean the hands of the children also when he is giving the presents to the children. So, we think it is very important. And normally we are advising Santa Claus also, and the children also, to keep a social distance in this [flu] season of the year." 

Mikulas associations have complained about the campaign.  They fear a drop in revenues as companies may cancel massive Mikulas meetings for employees and their children because of infection fears.

Public Health Advisor⁷ Dr. Beatrix Oroszi says she was even forced to debate the issue with a Mikulas look-alike on national television.

"There are companies in Hungary who are organize gatherings⁸ with the children," said Beatrix Oroszi. "They meet with Mikulas and this is a big celebration in Hungary.  These companies had two basic concerns.  One is that the public health authority wants to restrict or prohibit these kind of gatherings.  And that is not true.  And the other problem was that they are discriminating⁹ [against] Mikulas in a negative way.  No way, we are not so brave to discriminate¹⁰ Mikulas."

Hungary's health authority is against closing its borders, saying this will do little to stop flu infections and only disrupt the economy. 

Officials say they hope their Santa Claus campaign will help people to get injected against swine flu, after what they call "stupid" reports about the dangers of vaccines¹¹.

Nearby, Hungarians take money out of an automatic banking¹² machine.        

Hungarians and foreigners living here can get vaccinated against swine flu for about $17.  Some, even those within the health community, have criticized it as a way to make money for the state, which is facing an economic crisis.

But the health authority says children, pensioners¹³ with serious illnesses and homeless people receive vaccinations¹⁵ for free.

Health officials say six million vaccinations were produced in Hungary for a population of 10 million people, with more available when needed.

Dr. Zsuzsanna Jelenik of the International Center for Vaccination¹⁴ is busy these days. 

"The average number of people is about 110 to 120 people per day," said Zsuzsanna Jelenik. "Usually they are Hungarian citizens and about 10 percent of the vaccinated persons are foreigners.  Because we are the center for the travel vaccination as well, so we have to share the time to give the vaccination concerning traveling and give the H1N1 vaccination.  But we have to deal with people.  Some of them are a bit nervous or tired, but it can happen with us as well."

Under privacy regulations, Dr. Jelenik can not confirm whether an elderly man wearing a red winter dress and beard has visited her already.

Whatever the controversy,  Hungarian children are eagerly awaiting Mikulas with music and songs. 

 

1 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？

2 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

3 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。

4 orphanages   

孤儿院( orphanage的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• It is Rotarians running orphanages for children who have no homes. 扶轮社员们为没有家的孩子办孤儿院。
• Through the years, she built churches, hospitals and orphanages. 许多年来，她盖了一间间的教堂、医院、育幼院。

5 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

6 hygiene   

n.健康法，卫生学 （a.hygienic）

参考例句：

• Their course of study includes elementary hygiene and medical theory.他们的课程包括基础卫生学和医疗知识。
• He's going to give us a lecture on public hygiene.他要给我们作关于公共卫生方面的报告。

7 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。

8 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

9 discriminating   

a.有辨别能力的

参考例句：

• Due caution should be exercised in discriminating between the two. 在区别这两者时应该相当谨慎。
• Many businesses are accused of discriminating against women. 许多企业被控有歧视妇女的做法。

10 discriminate   

v.区别，辨别，区分；有区别地对待

参考例句：

• You must learn to discriminate between facts and opinions.你必须学会把事实和看法区分出来。
• They can discriminate hundreds of colours.他们能分辨上百种颜色。

11 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。

12 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

13 pensioners   

n.领取退休、养老金或抚恤金的人( pensioner的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He intends to redistribute income from the middle class to poorer paid employees and pensioners. 他意图把中产阶级到低薪雇员和退休人员的收入做重新分配。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I am myself one of the pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor. 我自己就是一个我们的高贵的施主遗留基金的养老金领取者。 来自辞典例句

14 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。

15 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》