VOA慢速英语--美国疾控要求11月1日各州做好接种疫苗准备

The U.S. federal government has told health officials in all 50 states to be ready for a coronavirus vaccine¹ by November 1.

The date is just two days before Election Day on November 3. Some public health experts have raised concerns. They worry that politics rather than science is driving the vaccine approval process.

Dr. Robert Redfield is director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He sent a letter to governors and state health officials dated August 27. In the letter, he said states will receive permit applications to provide vaccines² to state and local health departments and hospitals. He asked the states to "consider waiving³ requirements that would prevent these facilities from becoming fully⁴ operational by November 1, 2020."

The health director noted⁵ the approval process will not compromise the safety or effectiveness of the vaccine. Several news organizations, including McClatchy, The New York Times and the Associated Press, received copies of the letter.

The CDC also sent planning documents, saying vaccines could be available as soon as the end of October and approved by the Food and Drug Administration under its emergency powers.

The documents described two unnamed vaccine candidates that must be stored at temperatures of minus 70 and minus 20 degrees Celsius⁶. The requirements appear to be those from drug-makers⁷ Pfizer and Moderna.

The document, however, warned that only a limited amount of COVID-19 vaccine may be available by early November and that the supply will increase greatly by 2021. The health agency also asked state officials to make them available free of cost to health workers, national security workers and people at nursing homes.

James S. Blumenstock is a senior vice⁸ president at the Association of State and Territorial⁹ Health Officials. He told the Associated Press that the CDC was offering "an aggressive but necessary timetable" to approve the vaccines.

However, several public health experts said that drug makers are still in the process of signing up volunteers for final trials. Some questioned how information on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine candidates could be available before November 1.

"Being ready is reasonable. Cutting short phase 3 trials before you get the information you need isn't," said Paul Offit. He is a Children's Hospital of Philadelphia immunization expert who sits on the FDA's vaccine advisory¹⁰ committee.

Peter Hotez, dean of Baylor University's tropical medicine school, said he was "very concerned" about the timetable. He wondered if the FDA would use its emergency power to approve a vaccine before knowing whether it is safe and effective.

"It gives the appearance of a stunt¹¹ rather than an expression of public health concern,″ Hotez added.

Michael Osterholm is a University of Minnesota infectious disease expert. He told the Associated Press that he was concerned about an "October surprise" with a vaccine being introduced before the election. An "October surprise" describes an action or event close to Election Day that can affect election results.

When asked by CBS News whether politics rather than science is leading the vaccine approval process, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Thursday: "Thanks to President Trump¹²'s leadership of this Operation Warp¹³ Speed. We're making historic progress towards a vaccine...President Trump has made it clear. And I have made it clear. These decisions will be driven by the standards of science and evidence..."

Kris Ehresmann is infectious disease director for the state of Minnesota. She told the AP the state would only move forward "once we know it is safe."

In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis is a member of Trump's Republican Party. He said the effort to stop the virus will take more than a few months. "I would hope that the federal government would kind of take the lead on that." He added, "Hopefully, they have a plan to do it and will really focus on those vulnerable among us."

I'm Bryan Lynn.

Words in This Story

waiving –v. to officially say that will not require something that is normally required

facilities –n. (pl.) a building or equipment used for a specific purpose; something that makes an action, operation or activity easier to get done

timetable –n. a plan of things that need to be done and the time buy which they need to be completed

phase 3 –n. (medical) describes the part of drug tests that involves many people and is meant to find out if the drug causes bad reactions

stunt –n. something done to get the attention of the public

standard –n. a level of quality that is considered acceptable or is required

focus –v. to direct attention on something

vulnerable –n. easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally or emotionally

1 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。

2 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。

3 waiving   

v.宣布放弃( waive的现在分词 )；搁置；推迟；放弃（权利、要求等）

参考例句：

• Other steps suggested included waiving late payment charges, making quicker loan decisions and easing loan terms. 其他测试还包括免去滞纳金，尽快做出贷款决定和放宽贷款条件。 来自互联网
• Stuyvesant Town offers the same perk on some apartments, along waiving the broker's fee. StuyvesantTown对于他们出租的某些房子也提供同样的好处，顺带还省略了中介费。 来自互联网

4 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

5 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。

6 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

7 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

9 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

10 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

11 stunt   

n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长

参考例句：

• Lack of the right food may stunt growth.缺乏适当的食物会阻碍发育。
• Right up there is where the big stunt is taking place.那边将会有惊人的表演。

12 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

13 warp   

vt.弄歪，使翘曲，使不正常，歪曲，使有偏见

参考例句：

• The damp wood began to warp.这块潮湿的木材有些翘曲了。
• A steel girder may warp in a fire.钢梁遇火会变弯。