又中又英｜A Covid summer surge

Updated Covid vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna will soon be available in the US. I am waiting with bated breath for the rollout of the new vaccines because I want to take my shot before I return to Asia in a few months. To wait with bated breath for something means to wait in an anxious or eager way. A rollout means to make a new product or service widely available for the first time. I have taken six Pfizer-BioNTech shots since the Covid pandemic started. I am waiting with bated breath for the new Pfizer-BioNTech shot because there is a Covid summer surge in many US states.

The word “surge” means a sudden and great increase. A Covid summer surge means a great summer increase in Covid cases. Last year’s vaccine protected against the XBB.1.5 variant, which is no longer circulating in the US. The new vaccine targets the KP.2 variant. I will also take the latest flu shot before I leave the US. I took an updated flu shot every year when I lived in Hong Kong and took it in the US for the past few years. Health experts say both the Covid and flu shots can be taken at the same time, but I prefer waiting a few weeks between shots.

I worry that taking both shots at the same time could incapacitate my arm. To incapacitate means to prevent something from functioning in a normal way. My arm usually becomes sore (painful) after taking a vaccine shot. Taking a Covid shot in one arm and a flu shot in the other at the same time would make both arms sore!

辉瑞-BioNTech以及莫德纳的新版新冠疫苗，很快便会于美国推出。我屏息以待（bated breath）新疫苗的首度面市（rollout），因为我想在几个月后回到亚洲之前，先打了针。To wait with bated breath for something是指焦急、殷切地等待某事。A rollout是指一项新产品或服务首度发布或推出市场。自从新冠世纪大疫症开始以来，我已经打了六支辉瑞-BioNTech疫苗。我屏息以待（bated breath）新的辉瑞-BioNTech，是因为在美国多个州分，均有夏季激增（summer surge）的新冠疫情。

Surge是指急剧上涨、激增。A Covid summer surge就是指新冠病例在夏天急剧上升。上年的疫苗是对付 XBB.1.5变种株，现时在美国已没再传播。新疫苗对抗的是 KP.2变种株。我离开美国之前，也会打最新的流感针。我住香港时，每年均会打最新的流感针，过去几年在美国亦有打。健康专家说，新冠疫苗与流感疫苗可以同时接种，但我还是想每个疫苗之间相隔几星期接种。

我担心同时间打两支针，会 incapacitate我的手臂！To incapacitate是指去令某事物失去运作或行动能力。每次接种过疫苗后，我的手臂总是会变得酸痛（sore）。如果我在一只手打新冠疫苗，另一只手打流感针，则会令两只手臂同时疼痛（sore）！

mickchug@gmail.com
Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻

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