又中又英——“Be shaking in our boots.”
Michael Chugani 褚简宁
2020-03-17 04:16 HKT
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Respiratory disease expert Professor David Hui Shu-cheong said something on my TV show last week that made many people shake in their boots. He said he believes almost all of us will eventually be infected by the new coronavirus. When I asked him why he was so sure almost everyone will be infected, he said since it's a new virus no one has immunity. German Chancellor Angela Merkel shares the same view. She warned last week that about 58 million Germans, or about 70 percent of the German population, could be infected. This is a sobering thought. In fact, many experts have said about 70 or 80 percent of the world's population could be infected.
It has now become a race between the new virus and the search for a vaccine. We all, of course, hope the search for a new vaccine wins the race. Should we be shaking in our boots in the meantime? The expression "shake in your boots (or shoes)" means to be very afraid or nervous. The word "immunity" used this way means to be protected against a disease. The word "sobering" used this way means to make you feel serious or worry about serious things. Instead of shaking in our boots, we should follow the advice of experts to wash our hands, avoid large gatherings, wear facemasks in crowded areas, and avoid shaking hands.
Even though nobody wants to get infected, Hui Shu-cheong said on my show a high infection rate could stop the coronavirus because it would create herd immunity. The expression "herd immunity" means if enough people are infected and recover, they will be immune to the disease and prevent others from being infected. It's the same as if enough people get influenza vaccinations, there will be herd immunity. Instead of shaking in your boots, remember that most people infected by the new coronavirus either get well without treatment or feel no symptoms at all. Wash your hands and don't shake hands!
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呼吸道疾病专家许树昌教授上周在我的电视节目上说了些话，令许多人都吓得直发抖（shake in their boots）。他说，相信我们差不多所有人最终都会感染新型冠状病毒。当我问他为何他会这么肯定几乎所有人都会染病时，他说，因为这是个新病毒，无人有免疫力（immunity）。德国总理安克拉．默克尔亦抱相同的看法。她上周警告说，大约五千八百万德国人，或德国七成人口将会受到感染。这是个发人深省的（sobering）的想法。事实是，许多专家都说了，全球约七或八成人口都会受感染。
现在已经变成是新型病毒与研发疫苗的竞赛了，我们所有人当然是希望研发新疫苗可以抢先胜出这场竞赛。与此同时，我们应否be shaking in our boots？习语“shake in your boots（or shoes）”意即胆战心惊，吓得浑身发抖。Immunity在这里是指对某疾病有免疫力。Sobering在这里是指令你严肃看待某事，又或令你对某严肃的事情更为警醒。我们好应遵从专家的建议，勤洗手、避免大型聚会、在多人的地方戴口罩，以及避免握手，而非吓得直发抖（shaking in our boots）。
虽然没有人会想受到感染，但许树昌在我的节目上说，高感染率可以阻止冠状病毒的传播，因为那会建立出“herd immunity”。习语“herd immunity”是指群体免疫，若有足够的人感染并痊瘉，他们就会对疾病免疫（immune），也就能预防其他人受到感染；这就正如若有足够的人接种流感疫苗，便能产生群体免疫（herd immunity）。与其吓得两腿直打哆嗦（shaking in your boots），倒不如记着，大部份感染新型冠状病毒的人要么在没有获得治疗下痊瘉，要么就是没有出现任何症状。谨记清洁双手，不要跟人握手！中译：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚简宁
It has now become a race between the new virus and the search for a vaccine. We all, of course, hope the search for a new vaccine wins the race. Should we be shaking in our boots in the meantime? The expression "shake in your boots (or shoes)" means to be very afraid or nervous. The word "immunity" used this way means to be protected against a disease. The word "sobering" used this way means to make you feel serious or worry about serious things. Instead of shaking in our boots, we should follow the advice of experts to wash our hands, avoid large gatherings, wear facemasks in crowded areas, and avoid shaking hands.
Even though nobody wants to get infected, Hui Shu-cheong said on my show a high infection rate could stop the coronavirus because it would create herd immunity. The expression "herd immunity" means if enough people are infected and recover, they will be immune to the disease and prevent others from being infected. It's the same as if enough people get influenza vaccinations, there will be herd immunity. Instead of shaking in your boots, remember that most people infected by the new coronavirus either get well without treatment or feel no symptoms at all. Wash your hands and don't shake hands!
*****
呼吸道疾病专家许树昌教授上周在我的电视节目上说了些话，令许多人都吓得直发抖（shake in their boots）。他说，相信我们差不多所有人最终都会感染新型冠状病毒。当我问他为何他会这么肯定几乎所有人都会染病时，他说，因为这是个新病毒，无人有免疫力（immunity）。德国总理安克拉．默克尔亦抱相同的看法。她上周警告说，大约五千八百万德国人，或德国七成人口将会受到感染。这是个发人深省的（sobering）的想法。事实是，许多专家都说了，全球约七或八成人口都会受感染。
现在已经变成是新型病毒与研发疫苗的竞赛了，我们所有人当然是希望研发新疫苗可以抢先胜出这场竞赛。与此同时，我们应否be shaking in our boots？习语“shake in your boots（or shoes）”意即胆战心惊，吓得浑身发抖。Immunity在这里是指对某疾病有免疫力。Sobering在这里是指令你严肃看待某事，又或令你对某严肃的事情更为警醒。我们好应遵从专家的建议，勤洗手、避免大型聚会、在多人的地方戴口罩，以及避免握手，而非吓得直发抖（shaking in our boots）。
虽然没有人会想受到感染，但许树昌在我的节目上说，高感染率可以阻止冠状病毒的传播，因为那会建立出“herd immunity”。习语“herd immunity”是指群体免疫，若有足够的人感染并痊瘉，他们就会对疾病免疫（immune），也就能预防其他人受到感染；这就正如若有足够的人接种流感疫苗，便能产生群体免疫（herd immunity）。与其吓得两腿直打哆嗦（shaking in your boots），倒不如记着，大部份感染新型冠状病毒的人要么在没有获得治疗下痊瘉，要么就是没有出现任何症状。谨记清洁双手，不要跟人握手！中译：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚简宁
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