2020-2021学年度第 6 期总第 724 期

Guard against flu (P6)

山东省烟台第二中学 孔洁

Warming up
Influenza, commonly known as “the flu”, generally peaks between December and February.

Pre-reading
With the weather getting colder, the flu season is coming. Do you plan to get vaccinated this year?

Pre-reading
Why do I have to get a flu vaccine every year?
Let’s read the passage and figure out the reason.

Fast reading
To prevent getting the flu, most people get a flu vaccine. However, unlike vaccines for viruses that rarely change, flu vaccines cannot protect us in the long term as flu viruses are constantly changing.  

What’s the main idea of the passage?
It introduces the reasons why people have to get flu vaccines every year and why they can be difficult to get.

Specific reading
Read the passage in detail and answer the following questions.   
1. Why can’t flu vaccines protect us in the long term?
(1) A person’s immune protection from flu vaccination declines over time;
(2) flu viruses are also constantly changing.

2. Why is it difficult to get flu vaccines?
Because the flu vaccine is in high demand and short supply. The timing of influenza vaccine production and distribution is unpredictable, thus the availability of the flu vaccine supply does not always coincide with peak demand.

3. What makes this year’s situation more complicated?
Because the upcoming flu season coincides with the COVID-19 pandemic, which could overwhelm hospitals, straining resources and healthcare workers’ time.

Post reading
What can we do to prevent getting infected?

Language focus
Paraphrase the following sentences.
1. For viruses that don’t change too much – the measles virus, for example – getting vaccinated is a once-and-for-all method to prevent you from becoming infected with the virus.
The vaccines for viruses that don’t change can prevent you from becoming infected for life.

2. The timing of influenza vaccine production and distribution is unpredictable, thus the availability of the flu vaccine supply does not always coincide with peak demand.
It is difficult to know when the vaccine will be distributed so it isn't always available when there is a peak demand.

3. This could overwhelm hospitals, straining resources and healthcare workers’ time.
This could put a strain on healthcare workers and resources.

Figure out the meaning of the following expressions.
get vaccinated
a once-and-for-all method
be infected with
in the long term
long-term immunity
apart from
the upcoming flu season
in high demand
coincide with sth