流感疫情肆虐之際，兒童流感疫苗推薦被取消
Flu Shot Recommendation for Kids Dropped Amid Severe Season
難度：進階
來源：NPR
The CDC has changed its stance on childhood immunizations, including the annual flu shot. Previously, mass vaccination clinics could efficiently vaccinate hundreds of families through drive-through events. Now, parents must have individual conversations with healthcare providers about whether each vaccine is necessary—a requirement called 'shared clinical decision-making' that has effectively ended mass vaccination programs.
CDC改變了對兒童免疫接種的立場，包括年度流感疫苗。此前，大規模疫苗接種診所可以透過免下車活動有效地為數百個家庭接種疫苗。現在，父母必須與醫療保健提供者進行個別對話，討論每種疫苗是否必要——這一被稱為'共同臨床決策'的要求實際上終結了大規模疫苗接種計劃。
The timing of this policy change has alarmed health experts. Doctor visits for flu-like illnesses in the U.S. have reached their highest level in nearly 30 years. Children are among those at greatest risk for serious complications. Last year, flu killed at least 288 children, with most deaths occurring among unvaccinated children. This season has already claimed at least nine pediatric lives.
這項政策變化的時機讓衛生專家感到震驚。美國因流感樣疾病就診的人數已達到近30年來的最高水平。兒童是嚴重併發症風險最高的群體之一。去年，流感至少奪走了288名兒童的生命，大多數死亡發生在未接種疫苗的兒童中。本季已至少有9名兒童死亡。
Health officials are divided on the implications. Administration officials argue the new approach simply means vaccination decisions should be based on individual patient characteristics rather than population-wide factors. They claim scientific reviews found no randomized controlled trials demonstrating flu vaccines reduce hospitalizations or mortality in children. However, independent experts dispute this interpretation.
衛生官員對其影響意見不一。政府官員認為，新方法僅意味著疫苗接種決定應基於個體患者特徵而非整體人口因素。他們聲稱科學審查沒有發現隨機對照試驗證明流感疫苗能減少兒童住院率或死亡率。然而，獨立專家對此解釋提出異議。
Critics point to the stark contrast with global approaches. While other countries are intensifying vaccination campaigns during this severe season, the CDC has remained silent on promoting flu shots. Pediatricians worry the policy changes will inevitably lead to fewer parents vaccinating their children, resulting in more hospitalizations and preventable deaths among the young.
批評者指出這與全球方法形成了鮮明對比。當其他國家在這個嚴重的流感季節加強疫苗接種活動時，CDC卻對推廣流感疫苗保持沉默。兒科醫生擔心，政策變化將不可避免地導致更少的父母為孩子接種疫苗，從而導致更多兒童住院和本可預防的死亡。
The confusion extends to practical implementation. Some legal experts say drive-through clinics could technically continue under the new guidelines, but the ambiguity has caused widespread uncertainty. The requirement for individualized discussions with each family about each child creates logistical challenges that many practices find insurmountable during a busy flu season.
混亂還延伸到實際執行層面。一些法律專家表示，從技術上講，免下車診所可以在新指南下繼續運營，但模糊性造成了廣泛的不確定性。與每個家庭就每個孩子進行個別討論的要求造成了後勤挑戰，許多診所在繁忙的流感季節發現這些挑戰難以克服。
重點詞彙
- stance (n.)：立場，態度
- immunization (n.)：免疫接種
- drive-through (adj.)：免下車的
- shared clinical decision-making (n.phr.)：共同臨床決策
- alarmed (adj.)：驚慌的，擔憂的
- complications (n.)：併發症
- unvaccinated (adj.)：未接種疫苗的
- pediatric (adj.)：兒科的
- implications (n.)：影響，含義
- randomized controlled trials (n.phr.)：隨機對照試驗
- dispute (v.)：爭議，質疑
- stark contrast (n.phr.)：鮮明對比
- intensifying (v.)：加強，加劇
- preventable (adj.)：可預防的
- ambiguity (n.)：模糊性，歧義
- logistical (adj.)：後勤的，物流的
- insurmountable (adj.)：不可克服的，難以逾越的