Polio Vaccination Efforts in India Focus on Convincing Paren

 

Steve Baragona

Polio is on the ropes. A $3 billion global campaign has driven the crippling and sometimes-fatal disease to just six source countries. Experts say the campaign has the potential to win the war this year. Polio would then join only smallpox¹ in the very short book of eradication² success stories.
But achieving final victory will not be easy. Wiping polio out of the last few strongholds will be the hardest.
The click-clacking of weavers⁴' looms⁶ rattles⁸ through the village of Sarva in Uttar Pradesh. Weavers from India's Muslim minority are making silk saris for the women of the Hindu majority. This northern Indian state is one of polio's last strongholds.
That's in part because when the campaign to vaccinate⁹ children against the disease comes knocking, many people here don't answer.
"This is a typical case. They are not even opening the door," Polio eradication campaign official, Subodh Kumar, says in some villages, vaccinators find that parents go to great lengths to hide their children.
"They went to one of the houses where [the parents] said, 'There is no child. [The] child has gone to school.' But [the vaccinators] said, 'The child is not of that age to go to school. Where is the child?' They went in and they found the child was under the blanket," he recalled.
Some parents hide their children because of rumors¹¹ that the vaccine¹² will make children infertile¹³, or harm their health some other way. Officials know that unless they can convince parents in these last few pockets of resistance that the polio vaccine is safe, the eradication effort will fail. In Nigeria, misinformation about the vaccine has shut down vaccination¹⁴ programs, causing an outbreak that has spread the disease to polio-free countries.
So Indian health officials are pulling out all the stops. In Sarva and a few other villages where resistance is strongest, 10-person teams have been assembled, including local doctors, religious leaders, and other community members. Their mission is to go house by house, convincing, cajoling, and if necessary browbeating¹⁵ parents into vaccinating¹⁶ their children.
The team meets this man outside his home in Sarva. He's heard the false rumors that the vaccine is dangerous.
"I had 12 children," he said, "and I'm left with just two. The rest of them died. I just don't have the courage to let the doctor give my child the vaccine."
It's not an unusual story. Child mortality rates in Uttar Pradesh are among the highest in the world. The team tries to reassure¹⁷ him that the vaccine won't do any harm. They say look at all the other neighborhood children who have taken the vaccine with no ill effects. At the same time, they urge the father to think of what can happen if his children don't get vaccinated¹⁸. Team member and local doctor Awadhesh Kumar Singh notes that polio victims are a common sight in India.
"You've seen children who have had polio," he said. "It's very difficult for them to walk. Think of your neighbor's child, how difficult it is for him to walk."
But still the father is not convinced. He stands frowning, arms crossed and silent as the team tries different approaches. But it's no use. After 15 minutes, he storms off without agreeing. So the team heads across town, past the rattling¹⁹ looms, to see his father.
The children's grandfather sells betelnut packets, a mildly narcotic²⁰ treat that's popular in India. The team finds him sitting in the wooden box on stilts²² that serves as his roadside stall. Dr. Singh asks for permission to vaccinate his grandchildren.
"Is it necessary?" the grandfather asked.
"Yes," Dr. Singh answered. "And if all the children in your family don't get vaccinated, polio will spread to other children. If one child is left unvaccinated, the vaccine won't work," he said.
That's because it can take up to 10 doses of vaccine to provide complete protection. One child with polio can infect others who haven't completed the course of vaccination. And, he says, it's essential to give the vaccine before the child gets sick.
"If a dog bites," Dr. Singh said, "the victim can go get a vaccine against rabies. But if polio strikes, it's too late. There is no cure, only prevention. "

注释：
polio [5pEJlIEJ] n. 脊髓灰质炎
on the ropes 即将完蛋
smallpox [5smC:lpRks] n. 天花
eradication [i7rAdi5keiFEn] n. 连根拔除，根除
stronghold [5strRNhEJld] n. 中心地
click-clacking n. 嘀哒噼啪声
weaver³ [5wi:vE] n. 织布者，织工
loom⁵ [lu:m] n. 织布机，织机
rattle⁷ [5rAtl] v. 发出卡嗒卡嗒声
Uttar Pradesh 北方邦（印度最大的邦）
sari [5sB:rI] n. 纱丽
vaccinate [5vAksineit] v. 进行预防接种
vaccinator¹⁰ [5vAksIneItE(r)] n. 接种员
vaccine [5vAksi:n] n. 疫苗
infertile [in5fE:tail] adj. 不育的
pocket [5pRkIt] n. 一团，一群
misinformation [5misinfE5meiFEn] n. 误传
shut down 停止
cajole [kE5dVEul] vt. （以甜言蜜语）哄骗
browbeat [5braJbi:t] v. 恫吓，吓唬
mortality rate 死亡率
reassure [ri:E5FuE] vt. 使……安心
storm off 怒气冲冲地离开
betelnut [5bi:tElnQt] n. 槟榔
narcotic [nB:5kCtik] adj. 麻醉的
stilt²¹ [stilt] n. 支柱
stall [stC:l] n. 货摊
rabies [5reIbIz] n. 狂犬病

1 smallpox   

n.天花

参考例句：

• In 1742 he suffered a fatal attack of smallpox.1742年，他染上了致命的天花。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child?你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

2 eradication   

n.根除

参考例句：

• The eradication of an established infestation is not easy. 根除昆虫蔓延是不容易的。
• This is often required for intelligent control and eradication. 这经常需要灵巧的控制与消除。

3 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

4 weavers   

织工，编织者( weaver的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Navajo are noted as stockbreeders and skilled weavers, potters, and silversmiths. 纳瓦霍人以豢养家禽，技术熟练的纺织者，制陶者和银匠而著名。
• They made out they were weavers. 他们假装是织布工人。

5 loom   

n.织布机，织机；v.隐现，(危险、忧虑等)迫近

参考例句：

• The old woman was weaving on her loom.那位老太太正在织布机上织布。
• The shuttle flies back and forth on the loom.织布机上梭子来回飞动。

6 looms   

n.织布机( loom的名词复数 )v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的第三人称单数 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• All were busily engaged,men at their ploughs,women at their looms. 大家都很忙，男的耕田，女的织布。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The factory has twenty-five looms. 那家工厂有25台织布机。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 rattle   

v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓

参考例句：

• The baby only shook the rattle and laughed and crowed.孩子只是摇着拨浪鼓，笑着叫着。
• She could hear the rattle of the teacups.她听见茶具叮当响。

8 rattles   

（使）发出格格的响声， （使）作嘎嘎声( rattle的第三人称单数 )； 喋喋不休地说话； 迅速而嘎嘎作响地移动，堕下或走动； 使紧张，使恐惧

参考例句：

• It rattles the windowpane and sends the dog scratching to get under the bed. 它把窗玻璃震得格格作响，把狗吓得往床底下钻。
• How thin it is, and how dainty and frail; and how it rattles. 你看它够多么薄，多么精致，多么不结实；还老那么哗楞哗楞地响。

9 vaccinate   

vt.给…接种疫苗；种牛痘

参考例句：

• Local health officials then can plan the best times to vaccinate people.这样，当地的卫生官员就可以安排最佳时间给人们接种疫苗。
• Doctors vaccinate us so that we do not catch smallpox.医生给我们打预防针使我们不会得天花。

10 vaccinator   

牛痘接种员，种痘刀

参考例句：

11 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

13 infertile   

adj.不孕的；不肥沃的，贫瘠的

参考例句：

• Plants can't grow well in the infertile land.在贫瘠的土地上庄稼长不好。
• Nobody is willing to till this infertile land.这块薄田没有人愿意耕种。

14 vaccination   

n.接种疫苗，种痘

参考例句：

• Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
• Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

15 browbeating   

v.（以言辞或表情）威逼，恫吓( browbeat的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Mr Zha urges America to refrain from browbeating China into accepting distant targets for future reductions. 查先生敦促美国不要威胁中国为今后减少排放而去接受这遥远的目标。 来自互联网

16 vaccinating   

给…接种疫苗( vaccinate的现在分词 )； 注射疫苗，接种疫苗

参考例句：

• At first blush, vaccinating the wolves against rabies seems a simple solution. 乍一看来，为狼群注射防狂犬病疫苗是一种简单的办法。
• Also vaccinating children against misers (measles) has saved many lives. 还有，给儿童进行疫苗接种防止麻疹也挽救了许多生命。

17 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

18 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

19 rattling   

adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词

参考例句：

• This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。
• At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时，一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来，把窗玻璃震得当当地响。

20 narcotic   

n.麻醉药，镇静剂；adj.麻醉的，催眠的

参考例句：

• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。
• No medical worker is allowed to prescribe any narcotic drug for herself.医务人员不得为自己开处方使用麻醉药品。

21 stilt   

n.高跷，支柱

参考例句：

• They inhabit reed huts built on stilts above the water.他们住在建于水中木桩之上的芦苇草屋里。
• Thatch hut is raised high above the paddy field on stilt.茅草屋用柱高高地建在稻田之上。

22 stilts   

n.（支撑建筑物高出地面或水面的）桩子，支柱( stilt的名词复数 )；高跷

参考例句：

• a circus performer on stilts 马戏团里踩高跷的演员
• The bamboo huts here are all built on stilts. 这里的竹楼都是架空的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》