VOA标准英语2009年-Safety of H1N1 Vaccine, Hospital Readiness

By Carol Pearson
Washington
17 October 2009
 
A girl receives an H1N1 vaccination¹
Countries in the northern hemisphere are starting to distribute the H1N1 flu vaccine² as part of a massive immunization program against the viral pandemic. Parents and some professionals are concerned about the safety of the vaccine, while some doctors question the ability of hospitals to handle serious cases.

Demand for the H1N1 flu vaccine has drawn³ scores of people to vaccination clinics in the U.S.

Michelle Lowrey has three young children and one on the way. "I have every reason to be here today," she said.

Pregnant women have a higher risk of complications from the H1N1. And at least 86 American children have died from the new virus.
 
Katherine Blake is concerned about her young son. "He's high risk, he had open heart surgery as a baby so I've been very nervous for him," she said.

The US Centers for Disease Control reports this new flu virus has spread throughout most of the United States.

Still, some Americans say they will not get vaccinated⁴.

"We live in Sacramento," said one man. "There's some cases of the swine flu there, but not a lot, so [it] just hasn't really affected⁵ us."

Some are concerned about the safety of the vaccine because it has been produced so fast, and because it contains a preservative⁶ that some parents say can cause autism.

Dr. Anne Schuchat from the Centers for Disease Control says the vaccine is safe and is also available without the preservative.

"We are not cutting any corners in the safety of the production of this vaccine or in the testing and oversight⁷ of this vaccine," she said. "And it's very important that this process be done carefully and safely."

Public health officials and doctors are redoubling efforts to promote vaccination as the best protection against H1N1. 

 
Dr. Peter Holbrook
 
Dr. Peter Holbrook at Children's National Medical Center in Washington says people are mistaken if they think the flu is similar to a cold.

"It's very important to think very clearly about the vaccination and the disease we're preventing," he said. "This is not a mild disease, it's a significant disease."

Dr. Holbrook says even mild cases cause serious illness and severe cases can worsen rapidly.

Doctors are concerned that many hospitals may not have enough doctors or staff to handle a major outbreak. Dr. Arthur Kellermann at Emory School of Medicine is concerned about where to put patients who need intensive care.

"We need [to] prepare our critical care units and our healthcare systems for the possibility of making very tough choices about who gets into an intensive care unit and who does not get into an intensive care unit," he said.

If the H1N1 virus follows the course it took when it broke out last March, the disease will peak and then fall off in roughly seven weeks. If that is the case, Dr. Holbrook says it may already be near the peak in the United States.

"But that's only with the understanding that there could easily be another wave that comes in the winter time," he said. 

One thing all specialists agree on is a novel flu is unpredictable.

And there is not enough H1N1 vaccine to go around, even in the United States.

The World Health Organization says international donations of the vaccine should arrive in developing countries in a few weeks.

1 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。

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 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

4 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？

5 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

6 preservative   

n.防腐剂；防腐料；保护料；预防药

参考例句：

• New timber should be treated with a preservative.新采的圆木应进行防腐处理。
• Salt is a common food preservative.盐是一种常用的食物防腐剂。

7 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。