VOA慢速英语--教师接种疫苗后美国推动学校重新开学

US Push to Reopen Schools as Teachers Get Vaccinated²

American political leaders are pushing for schools to reopen this winter as teachers started to receive COVID-19 vaccines⁴. But others are concerned that they may not be ready.

Last Thursday, President-elect Joe Biden proposed a $1.9 trillion spending plan to fight the virus in the United States and help the nation's economy. The plan calls for a national vaccine³ plan to administer 100 million shots in the first 100 days of his administration.

The incoming president added there will be money to "safely" reopen a majority of kindergarten-to-eighth-grade schools in the first 100 days.

Governor Gavin Newsom of California proposed a $2 billion plan to pay for testing, protective equipment and other safety measures to reopen the lowest grades as soon as February 16.

In Ohio, Governor Mike DeWine offered to vaccinate¹ teachers in February if the schools agree to have in-person teaching by March 1.

In Arizona, where teachers started receiving shots this month, Governor Doug Ducey said he expects students will return to the classroom soon. The money will not go to schools that remain closed in Arizona. "Children still need to learn, even in a pandemic." he said.

Teachers are still afraid to return in person

Arizona's education officials and hospital leaders, however, disagree with the governor. They warn that the state has the highest rate of COVID-19 infection in the nation.

Johns Hopkins University reported, as of January 19, the U.S. has experienced 390,000 COVID-19 related deaths and more than 23 million confirmed infections.

Michael White is a doctor at Valleywise Health in Phoenix⁵, Arizona. He said, "We understand that learning and bringing our children together is very important." But to reduce the spread of the virus, he said children should not be outside of their family group.

Last week, officials in Chicago, Illinois began a slow reopening with the youngest students. Since teachers have yet to receive vaccines, officials are providing them virus tests on school grounds. But some teachers refused to return because of COVID-19 concerns.

Kirstin Roberts is a pre-kindergarten teacher in Chicago. She told the Associated Press, "I don't believe it's safe to reopen the schools. I don't believe it's safe for my family, I live with an elderly mom. I don't believe it is safe for the city's children or their families."

Jeff Freitas is president of the California Federation⁶ of Teachers. The labor⁷ leader said vaccinations⁸ have to come first, then schools in California can talk about reopening.

"We cannot put our own lives, the lives of our students, and our communities at risk during what is clearly an escalating⁹ crisis in our state," he said.

California has only vaccinated health care workers and people in nursing homes so far.

Utah is one of the first states to vaccinate teachers over other groups. Gov. Spencer Cox has said he wants to vaccinate all teachers by the end of February.

Michael Crookston is a music teacher at Davis High School in Salt Lake City, Utah. He said the COVID-19 vaccine has "been a thing I've been looking forward to, a little bit like Christmas."

Words in This Story

administer – n. to manage the operation of (something, such as a company or government) or the use of (something, such as property)

kindergarten – n. a school or class for very young children

grade – n. a level of study that is completed by a student during one year

escalating – v. to become worse or to make (something) worse or more severe

nursing home – n. a place where people who are old or who are unable to take care of themselves can live and be taken care of

1 vaccinate   

vt.给…接种疫苗；种牛痘

参考例句：

• Local health officials then can plan the best times to vaccinate people.这样，当地的卫生官员就可以安排最佳时间给人们接种疫苗。
• Doctors vaccinate us so that we do not catch smallpox.医生给我们打预防针使我们不会得天花。

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 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 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。

5 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

6 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

7 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

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 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句