VOA慢速英语--新冠的预防工作可能已经阻止了非洲南部国家的流感

Countries including South Africa, Australia and Argentina have had a surprise during their winter season: Their steps against COVID-19 also seemed to block the flu.

Winter is now ending in the Southern Hemisphere¹ as summer is nearing its end in the northern half of the world. But, there is no guarantee that Northern countries will have the same experience as southern ones.

Dr. Robert Redfield is director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He told The Associated Press, "This could be one of the worst seasons we've had from a public health perspective with COVID and flu coming together." But, he added, "It could also be one of the best flu seasons we've had."

U.S. health officials are urging Americans to get vaccinated² against the flu in record numbers this autumn. The hope is that hospitals will not have to face two pandemics at once.

It is becoming clear that wearing face masks, avoiding crowds and keeping your distance are protections that are not only helpful to prevent COVID-19. "They're going to work for any respiratory virus," Redfield noted³.

Usually, South Africa sees widespread influenza⁴ during the Southern Hemisphere's winter months of May through August. This year, testing carried out by the country's National Institute of Communicable Diseases is finding few cases. The situation is very unusual.

School closures, limited public gatherings⁵ and calls to wear masks and wash hands have "knocked down the flu," said Dr. Cheryl Cohen, head of the institute's respiratory program.

That meant lives saved from the flu. It also, Cohen noted, "freed up our hospitals' capacity to treat COVID-19 patients."

In Australia, the national health department reported just 36 laboratory-confirmed flu-related deaths from January to the middle of August. It reported more than 480 during the same period last year.

"The most likely and the biggest contributor is social distancing," said Dr. Robert Booy, an infectious⁶ diseases expert at the University of Sydney.

The coronavirus is blamed for about 24 million infections and more than 821,000 deaths worldwide in just the first eight months of this year. A normal flu year could have the world's hospitals dealing⁷ with several million more severely⁸ ill people on top of COVID-19.

In February and March, the worldwide spread of the coronavirus was just being recognized. At the time, many countries in the Southern Hemisphere began preparing to deal with both flu and COVID-19. As they shut down to fight the coronavirus, they also made a push for flu vaccinations⁹.

"We gave many more flu vaccinations, like four times more," said Jaco Havenga, a drugmaker who works at Mays Chemist near Johannesburg, in South Africa.

The flu has not disappeared, a World Health Organization report recently warned. The report said that, worldwide, "influenza activity was reported at lower levels than expected for this time of year."

The WHO also noted that some people who had the flu in Southern Hemisphere countries might have just stayed at home and not seen a doctor because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Children usually drive flu's spread. International influenza experts say keeping schools closed as well as face mask and distancing rules have helped keep the spread slow.

The United State and some countries in Europe have not been as restrictive with coronavirus rules as some Southern Hemisphere countries. They are in many cases reopening schools and reducing distancing rules even as COVID-19 continues to spread.

The U.S. CDC is urging a record number of flu vaccinations. Redfield's goal is for at least 65 percent of adults to be vaccinated. Usually only about half of U.S. adults get the flu vaccine¹¹.

The U.S. expects more than 190 million individual flu vaccines¹², about 20 million more than last year. States are being urged to make it easy for people to get flu shots. Suggestions include vaccinating¹³ people in their cars in an effort to avoid crowds.

In an unusual move, the state of Massachusetts is requiring flu vaccination¹⁰ for all students this year. Usually only some healthcare workers face such requirements.

The flu vaccine only protects against influenza. It will not reduce a person's chances of getting the coronavirus. Vaccines against COVID-19 are still experimental and several candidates are entering final testing to see if they are effective.

I'm Ashley Thompson.

Words in This Story

flu, influenza –n. a common sickness caused by a virus that causes fever, weakness, pain and breathing problems

pandemic –n. the fast spread of an infectious disease to many people over a very large area of the world

respiratory –adj. related to breathing and the lungs

knocked down –v. greatly reduce, to cause to fall

capacity –n. the ability to provide a service for those who need it

contributor –n. one of several actions that help bring about a result

1 hemisphere   

n.半球，半球地图

参考例句：

• This animal is to be found only in the Southern Hemisphere.这种动物只有在南半球才能找到。
• In most people,the left hemisphere is bigger than the right.多数人的左脑比右脑大。

2 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？

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

5 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。

6 infectious   

adj.传染的，有传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。
• What an infectious laugh she has!她的笑声多么具有感染力啊！

7 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。

8 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

9 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》

10 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。

11 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。

12 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。

13 vaccinating   

给…接种疫苗( vaccinate的现在分词 )； 注射疫苗，接种疫苗

参考例句：

• At first blush, vaccinating the wolves against rabies seems a simple solution. 乍一看来，为狼群注射防狂犬病疫苗是一种简单的办法。
• Also vaccinating children against misers (measles) has saved many lives. 还有，给儿童进行疫苗接种防止麻疹也挽救了许多生命。