美国国家公共电台 NPR--Future of the COVID pandemic: Scientists say there is still a lot to learn

Future of the COVID pandemic: Scientists say there is still a lot to learn

Transcript¹

NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer speaks with immunologist Akiko Iwasaki about the future of COVID research as the pandemic enters its fourth year.

SACHA PFEIFFER, HOST:

Three years after the World Health Organization declared a pandemic, scientists say there is still a lot to learn about COVID-19. Akiko Iwasaki is a professor and researcher of immunobiology and molecular², cellular³ and developmental biology at Yale, who three years ago dedicated⁴ her lab to studying COVID. And she joins us now. Good morning, Professor.

AKIKO IWASAKI: Good morning.

PFEIFFER: What do you consider the biggest breakthrough to date in our understanding of COVID?

IWASAKI: I think the biggest breakthrough in our understanding of COVID is really how the immune response is occurring after viral infection and how that could actually either help you or harm you. And we and others have found that there's misfiring of the immune response happening in the severe COVID patients that lead to pathology and lethality⁵.

PFEIFFER: Oh, that's interesting. So some people react differently to it and it becomes more protective. For others, it becomes counterproductive.

IWASAKI: Exactly. So it really matters how the immune system reacts to the virus in the beginning. And that kind of dictates⁷ the course of disease.

PFEIFFER: Do we individually have any control over that in terms of our level of health and nutrition? Or is it totally about our genes⁸ and it's out of our control?

IWASAKI: Oh, we can certainly control some of this. Obviously, you know, having vaccines⁹ and boosters will help you create that immune response that is protective against the virus.

PFEIFFER: Oh, interesting. So it's quite a message about the importance of vaccines still?

IWASAKI: Yeah, absolutely. Having preexisting immunity¹⁰ will absolutely help you fight against this virus disease.

PFEIFFER: Long COVID. You are leading multiple studies into Long COVID. What do scientists currently know or suspect about why, for some people, symptoms can linger for months and even years?

IWASAKI: Yeah, so we're still at the early phase of that understanding. But what we're learning is that, again, the immune response to the virus in the early phase might dictate⁶ how a person might develop long COVID or recover from the infection. And in particular, there are hypotheses about persistent¹¹ virus that could be driving this disease. So if you can clear the virus early at the site of infection, it's likely that you will not develop long COVID.

PFEIFFER: And same question that I asked last time - do we individually have any control over whether, if we get COVID, it becomes long COVID? Or is that largely out of our control other than vaccines?

IWASAKI: Right. So there is, again, some insights that are being - developing right now as to who might, you know, be more at risk of acquiring long COVID. And people who even get mild COVID infection can develop long COVID. And this group tends to be women of ages around 30 to 50, whereas people who get severe COVID and then develop long COVID, these tend to be older patients.

PFEIFFER: And anything we could be doing when we're in recovery that might minimize our chances of developing long COVID?

IWASAKI: Right. So again, that's developing knowledge right now. But potentially - so anything to kind of remove the virus quickly as possible, such as the use of Paxlovid or other antivirals, might help a person recover quicker than if you didn't have that antiviral.

PFEIFFER: You know, as we talk, it's very clear there's so much still to be known. What do you personally most want to know about COVID that is not known yet?

IWASAKI: Oh, there are so many things that I - you know, my team would love to know about COVID, particularly how a person might develop long COVID and how we can prevent that because right now, even though millions of people are suffering from this disease, there really isn't a great therapy out there. And if we can understand the disease mechanisms¹² better, then we can provide better treatment.

PFEIFFER: What do you think people's fear level of COVID should be now?

IWASAKI: Well, myself studying long COVID, I'm still very much fearful of, you know, catching¹³ the virus and potentially developing this since I'm in that demographic group for risk - high risk. So I'm still - yeah.

PFEIFFER: That people should still have a healthy fear, but there are things we can do that we didn't know about three years ago that could be more helpful in fighting it now?

IWASAKI: Right. But I would still keep maintaining preventative measures like mask-wearing and making sure ventilation is happening in buildings because, you know, not getting COVID is your way to avoiding long COVID.

PFEIFFER: Right. That is Akiko Iwasaki. She is a professor and researcher studying COVID. Thank you very much.

IWASAKI: Thank you.

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 molecular   

adj.分子的；克分子的

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。
• For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。

3 cellular   

adj.移动的；细胞的，由细胞组成的

参考例句：

• She has a cellular telephone in her car.她的汽车里有一部无线通讯电话机。
• Many people use cellular materials as sensitive elements in hygrometers.很多人用蜂窝状的材料作为测量温度的传感元件。

4 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

5 lethality   

n.致命性，毁坏性

参考例句：

• Modern weapons have greater range, accuracy, speed, and lethality than anything ever dreamed of before. 现代的武器比从前所梦想的任何武器射得更远，射得更准，速度更快，而且更具有杀伤力。 来自辞典例句
• The Mk 46 provides long-range lethality while engaging small, high-speed, surface targets. 该系统在舰船遭遇小型高速水面目标时将提供远距离的致命杀伤力。 来自互联网

6 dictate   

v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令

参考例句：

• It took him a long time to dictate this letter.口述这封信花了他很长时间。
• What right have you to dictate to others?你有什么资格向别人发号施令？

7 dictates   

n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• Convention dictates that a minister should resign in such a situation. 依照常规部长在这种情况下应该辞职。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He always follows the dictates of common sense. 他总是按常识行事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

9 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。

10 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。

11 persistent   

adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的

参考例句：

• Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
• She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

12 mechanisms   

n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。