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!

輝瑞-BioNTech以及莫德納的新版新冠疫苗，很快便會於美國推出。我屏息以待（bated breath）新疫苗的首度面市（rollout），因為我想在幾個月後回到亞洲之前，先打了針。To wait with bated breath for something是指焦急、殷切地等待某事。A rollout是指一項新產品或服務首度發布或推出市場。自從新冠世紀大疫症開始以來，我已經打了六支輝瑞-BioNTech疫苗。我屏息以待（bated breath）新的輝瑞-BioNTech，是因為在美國多個州分，均有夏季激增（summer surge）的新冠疫情。

Surge是指急劇上漲、激增。A Covid summer surge就是指新冠病例在夏天急劇上升。上年的疫苗是對付 XBB.1.5變種株，現時在美國已沒再傳播。新疫苗對抗的是 KP.2變種株。我離開美國之前，也會打最新的流感針。我住香港時，每年均會打最新的流感針，過去幾年在美國亦有打。健康專家說，新冠疫苗與流感疫苗可以同時接種，但我還是想每個疫苗之間相隔幾星期接種。

我擔心同時間打兩支針，會 incapacitate我的手臂！To incapacitate是指去令某事物失去運作或行動能力。每次接種過疫苗後，我的手臂總是會變得痠痛（sore）。如果我在一隻手打新冠疫苗，另一隻手打流感針，則會令兩隻手臂同時疼痛（sore）！

mickchug@gmail.com
Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻