为何有人死于奥密克戎？
If Omicron is less severe, why are people still dying from it?
刘立军供稿
TRANSCRIPT
Vismita Gupta-Smith: We’re talking about Omicron today. If it is a less severe variant, why are people still ending up in hospitals and why is it still killing people? And also, if it is this transmissible, can we really protect ourselves? Hello and welcome to Science in 5. I’m Vismita Gupta-Smith. We are talking to Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove. Welcome, Maria. Maria, let’s start with: if Omicron is less severe, why are people still dying from it?
Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove: Hi, Vismita, thanks for having me again. So Omicron is the latest variant of concern, and we have increasing information that Omicron is less severe than Delta, but it is still a dangerous virus. People who are infected with Omicron have the full spectrum of disease, everything from asymptomatic infection all the way through severe disease and death. What we are learning is that people with underlying conditions, people with advanced age, people who are unvaccinated can have a severe form of COVID-19 following infection from Omicron. And so we know that people are still being hospitalized with this variant of concern, Omicron, as well as dying. So it is important that we have information that is out there that is accurate, that does suggest, of course, that it is less severe than Delta, but that does not mean that it is mild.
VOCABULARY
1. transmissible adj. 可传染的
2. spectrum n. a complete or wide range of related qualities, ideas, etc. 系列。例如：a broad spectrum of interests 广泛的兴趣范围
3. hospitalize v. to send sb. to a hospital for treatment 送（某人）入院治疗
4. mild adj. not severe or strong 温和的；和善的。例如：a mild form of the disease 病势不重
QUESTIONS
Read the passage. Then listen to the news and fill in the blanks with the information (words, phrases or sentences) you hear.
Vismita Gupta-Smith: We’re talking about Omicron today. If it is a less severe variant, why are people still (Q1) ______________ in hospitals and why is it still killing people? And also, if it is this (Q2) _______________, can we really protect ourselves? Hello and welcome to Science in 5. I’m Vismita Gupta-Smith. We are talking to Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove. Welcome, Maria. Maria, let’s start with: if Omicron is less severe, why are people still dying from it?
Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove: Hi, Vismita, thanks for having me again. So Omicron is (Q3) ________________ of concern, and we have increasing information that Omicron is (Q4) _____ than Delta, but it is still a dangerous virus. People who are infected with Omicron have the full spectrum of disease, everything from asymptomatic infection all the way through (Q5) ___________________. What we are learning is that people with underlying conditions, people with (Q6) _____________, people who are (Q7) _______________ can have a severe form of COVID-19 following infection from Omicron. And so we know that people are still being (Q8) __________________with this variant of concern, Omicron, as well as dying. So it is important that we have information that is out there that is (Q9) ______________, that does suggest, of course, that it is less severe than Delta, but that does not mean that it is (Q10) _______________.
KEY
Read the passage. Then listen to the news and fill in the blanks with the information (words, phrases or sentences) you hear.
Vismita Gupta-Smith: We’re talking about Omicron today. If it is a less severe variant, why are people still (Q1) ending up in hospitals and why is it still killing people? And also, if it is this (Q2) transmissible, can we really protect ourselves? Hello and welcome to Science in 5. I’m Vismita Gupta-Smith. We are talking to Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove. Welcome, Maria. Maria, let’s start with: if Omicron is less severe, why are people still dying from it?
Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove: Hi, Vismita, thanks for having me again. So Omicron is (Q3) the latest variant of concern, and we have increasing information that Omicron is (Q4) less severe than Delta, but it is still a dangerous virus. People who are infected with Omicron have the full spectrum of disease, everything from asymptomatic infection all the way through (Q5) severe disease and death. What we are learning is that people with underlying conditions, people with (Q6) advanced age, people who are (Q7) unvaccinated can have a severe form of COVID-19 following infection from Omicron. And so we know that people are still being (Q8) hospitalized with this variant of concern, Omicron, as well as dying. So it is important that we have information that is out there that is (Q9) accurate, that does suggest, of course, that it is less severe than Delta, but that does not mean that it is (Q10) mild.
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