VOA慢速英语2021 卫生官员关注新冠肺炎疫苗的副作用（在线收听）

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

这里是VOA慢速英语健康生活报道。

As COVID-19 vaccinations begin, health officials around the world are watching for any problems that might develop. These side effects -- a result from taking the vaccine -- are both expected and unexpected.

随着新冠肺炎疫苗接种的开始，世界各地的卫生官员都在关注任何可能出现的问题。接种疫苗可能产生副作用，而这些副作用既有意料之中的，也有意料之外的。

Allergic reactions

过敏反应

Recently, two health workers in the state of Alaska experienced allergic reactions after receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. One had a severe reaction and was hospitalized for observation. The second worker's reaction was less severe.

最近，美国阿拉斯加州两名卫生工作者在接受辉瑞公司研发的新冠肺炎疫苗后出现过敏反应。其中一人反应严重，已住院观察。另外一人的反应没有那么严重。

Britain recently reported two similar cases. The Associated Press (AP) reported that these people had serious allergies in the past. As a result, British officials have warned people with a history of severe allergies to medicines to delay getting the vaccination.

英国最近报告了两起类似的病例。据美联社（简称AP）报道，这些人过去有严重的过敏症。因此，英国官员警告有严重药物过敏史的人推迟疫苗接种。

Health officials in the United States are not giving such a strong warning. Healthcare workers in the U.S. always ask people about allergies before vaccinations. Instructions for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine say to avoid it if you are severely allergic to one of its ingredients or already have had a reaction to it.

美国卫生官员并未发出如此强烈的警告。美国医护人员在接种疫苗前会询问人们的过敏情况。辉瑞和德国生物新技术公司联合研发的疫苗在说明书标注称，如果你对其中一种成分严重过敏或者已经产生反应，应避免接种。

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to remain under observation for about 15 minutes after a vaccination. Those with a history of allergies should remain for 30 minutes. If they have a reaction, they can be treated immediately.

美国疾病控制和预防中心建议人们在接种疫苗后保持观察15分钟左右。有过敏史的人应该观察30分钟。如果出现反应，可以立即接受治疗。

However, doctors said the health worker in Alaska who had the severe allergic reaction had no history of allergies. She experienced redness in her face and difficulty breathing 10 minutes after the first shot. She will not be given a second vaccine shot. The second Alaskan worker experienced less severe signs. Her eyes became puffy, her throat scratchy, and she felt shaky or light-headed.

然而，医生表示，阿拉斯加州出现严重过敏反应的卫生工作者并没有过敏史。她在第一次注射后10分钟出现面部发红和呼吸困难等症状。她不会再注射第二剂疫苗。另一名阿拉斯加工作人员的症状较轻。她出现眼睛浮肿、喉咙发痒、颤抖或头晕等症状。

Allergic reactions are common with new medicines. However, observing COVID-19 vaccines for unexpected side effects is more difficult in this case.

过敏反应在新药中很常见。然而，在这种情况下，观察新冠肺炎疫苗意料之外的副作用更为困难。

That is because of the huge number of people who need to be vaccinated over the next year. Another difficulty is the different kinds of vaccines being used at the same time. It is quite possible that one vaccine will have different side effects than another.

这是因为明年需要接种疫苗的人数非常多。另一个困难是同时接种不同种类的疫苗。很可能一种疫苗的副作用与另一种存在不同。

The first vaccine beginning widespread use in the U.S. and many Western countries is the one made by Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech. The second vaccine from the company Moderna is expected soon.

首个在美国和许多西方国家开始广泛使用的疫苗由辉瑞公司和德国生物新技术公司联合生产。莫德纳公司研发的第二种疫苗有望很快问世。

Both vaccines were made using the same method. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that huge studies of each have uncovered no major safety risks.

两种疫苗用同样的方法研制。美国食品和药物管理局（简称FDA）表示，对每种药物进行的大量研究均未发现重大安全风险。

Dr. Jesse Goodman, of Georgetown University, used to be a top vaccine official at the FDA. He told the AP that the allergy concern "points out again the importance of real-time safety monitoring."

乔治敦大学的杰西·古德曼博士曾是美国食品和药物管理局的疫苗高级官员。他对美联社表示，过敏问题“再次指出了实时安全监测的重要性”。

Health officials have several ways of observing how people react to COVID-19 vaccines. The AP said that in coming months as more people get vaccinated, health officials will create more ways to monitor reactions to the vaccines.

卫生官员有几种方法可以观察人们对新冠肺炎疫苗的反应。美联社表示，在未来几个月，随着越来越多的人接种疫苗，卫生官员将创造更多的方法来监测人们对疫苗的反应。

Flu-like side effects

类似流感的副作用

Getting either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine can cause some temporary discomfort. This happens with many vaccines.

无论是接种辉瑞和德国生物新技术公司联合研发的疫苗还是莫德纳疫苗，都会出现暂时的不适。许多疫苗都会发生这种情况。

In addition to pain in the arm, people can experience a high body temperature and other flu-like symptoms. These include extreme tiredness, body pain, feeling cold, and a headache. These symptoms last for about a day. But sometimes they can be severe, causing the person to miss work. Reports suggest these symptoms are more common after the second shot and more common in younger people.

除了手臂疼痛外，人们还会出现发烧和其他类似流感的症状。这些症状包括极度疲劳、身体疼痛、感觉寒冷和头痛。这些症状会持续一天左右。但有时症状会非常严重，导致人们误工。报告显示，这些症状在第二次注射后更为常见，而且在年轻人中更为常见。

COVID-19 vaccines seem to cause more of those reactions than a flu shot. In some people, the reaction is similar to one people get to the vaccine for the infection called shingles.

相比流感疫苗，新冠肺炎疫苗似乎会引起更多反应。对有些人来说，这种反应类似于接种带状疱疹疫苗后的反应。

Coronavirus-like side effect

类似感染冠状病毒的副作用

However, some reactions are similar to early coronavirus symptoms. This is one reason hospitals are not giving the vaccine to all their employees at the same time. They are giving the vaccines to workers in smaller groups over a longer period of time.

然而，有些反应与早期冠状病毒症状相似。这是医院不会同时给所有工作人员注射疫苗的原因之一。他们在较长一段时间内给小批工作人员接种疫苗。

What about serious risks?

出现严重风险怎么办？

The FDA found no serious side effects in the tens of thousands of people involved in studies of the two vaccines.

美国食品和药物管理局没有在这两种疫苗研究的数万名参与者中发现严重副作用。

However, sometimes rare but serious side effects happen when a vaccine is used very widely. This also happens when the vaccine did not go through exact and complete tests.

然而，疫苗被广泛使用后，有时会出现罕见但严重的副作用。在疫苗没有经过精确和完整的试验时，也会发生这种情况。

The CDC's Dr. Jay Butler warned that balancing any possible risks "with the benefits the vaccine provides in the pandemic is an ongoing process."

美国疾控中心的杰伊·巴特勒博士警告称，平衡任何可能的风险“与疫苗在疫情中提供的益处是一个持续的过程。”

Words in This Story

allergic –adj., allergy –n. related to a medical condition that causes someone to become sick after coming in contact with a substance that is harmless to most people

ingredient –n. one of the substances that make up a mixture

puffy –adj. larger than normal, swollen

scratchy –adj. painful, larger, or rougher than normal

monitor –v. to watch, observe listen or check for a special purpose, such as health, over time

discomfort –n. an uncomfortable or painful feeling in the body

symptom –n. a sign that a disease or problem is present

benefit -–n. good, helpful or healthful results