在全球新冠肺炎病例不斷增多的同時，仍有一些國家和民眾相信甚至采取群體免疫作為抗疫策略。對此，世界衛生組織總干事譚德塞表示，群體免疫原本是用于疫苗接種的一個概念，用群體免疫作為應對新冠疫情的策略既不科學也不道德，并重申疫情防控沒有捷徑。

Using the principle of so-called “herd immunity” to stem the COVID-19 pandemic is “unethical” and “not an option” countries should pursue to defeat the virus, the UN health agency chief warned on Monday.

世界衛生組織總干事譚德塞10月12日警告稱，用所謂的“群體免疫”原則來阻止新冠肺炎疫情是“不道德的”，也不是國家抗擊病毒的“一個選項”。

"Herd immunity is a concept used for vaccination, in which a population can be protected from a certain virus if a threshold of vaccination is reached”, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), told the agency’s regular press briefing in Geneva.

譚德塞在日內瓦的例行新聞發布會上說：“群體免疫是用于疫苗接種的一個概念，意思是如果足夠多的人接種了疫苗，就可以使整個群體免受某種病毒感染。”

But, he explained, it is achieved by protecting people from the virus, “not by exposing them to it”.

他解釋道，群體免疫是通過保護人們免受病毒感染來實現的，“而不是通過讓人們接觸病毒實現的。”

"Never in the history of public health has herd immunity been used as a strategy for responding to an outbreak”, the WHO chief said, calling it “scientifically and ethically problematic”.

譚德塞稱：“公共衛生史上從未用群體免疫作為一種策略來應對疫情暴發。”他表示這種做法“在科學上和道德上都是有問題的”。

To obtain herd immunity from measles, for example, about 95 percent of the population must be vaccinated. However, according to WHO estimates, less than 10 percent of the global population has any immunity to the coronavirus, leaving the “vast majority” of the world susceptible.

舉例來說，要達到麻疹病的群體免疫，約95%的人口必須接種疫苗。然而，據世界衛生組織估計，全球不到10%的人口對新冠病毒有免疫力，這意味著世界上“絕大多數人”都是易感人群。

"Letting the virus circulate unchecked, therefore, means allowing unnecessary infections, suffering and death”, Tedros said.

譚德塞稱：“因此，讓病毒不受限制地傳播，意味著不必要的感染、痛苦和死亡。”

病例不斷增長

Tedros noted that in recent days, the world was seeing the most rapid rise in infections during the course of the whole pandemic, especially in Europe and the Americas.

譚德塞指出，近期全球新冠肺炎感染率的增長速度是疫情暴發以來最快的，尤其在歐洲和美洲地區。

"Each of the last four days has seen the highest number of cases reported so far”, he stated. “Many cities and countries are also reporting an increase in hospitalizations and intensive care bed occupancy”.

他表示：“過去四天報告的單日新增病例數是迄今為止最多的。此外，許多城市和國家報告稱，住院和進入重癥監護室的病人數量也增多了。”

The WHO chief also reminded that, as an “uneven pandemic”, every country is responding differently, and stressed that outbreaks can be controlled using targeted measures, such as by preventing amplifying events, isolation and testing.

譚德塞還提醒說，在這場“分布不均的疫情”中，每個國家的應對方式是不同的。他強調疫情可以通過有針對性的措施進行控制，比如防止造成病毒擴散的活動、進行隔離和檢測。

"It’s not a choice between letting the virus run free and shutting down our societies” he declared.

他表示：“這不是在讓病毒自由傳播和讓社會停擺之間二選一。”

抗擊病毒沒有絕招

WHO noted that many have harnessed their stay-at-home time to develop plans, train health workers, increase testing time and capacity, and improve patient care.

世界衛生組織指出，許多國家已經利用民眾居家隔離的時間來制定計劃、培訓醫務人員、增加檢測時間、提升檢測能力，以及改進病患護理水平。

And digital technologies are helping to make tried-and-tested public health tools even more effective, such as better smartphone apps to support contact tracing efforts.

數字技術也有助于更有效地利用久經考驗的公共衛生工具，比如能更好地支持密切接觸者追蹤行動的智能手機應用。

"We well understand the frustration that many people, communities and governments are feeling as the pandemic drags on, and as cases rise again”, Tedros said.

譚德塞說：“隨著病例數量再次增多，疫情看不到盡頭，我們非常理解許多人、社區和政府感受到的絕望情緒。”

However, there are “no shortcuts, and no silver bullets”, he added.

他補充道，但是抗擊疫情沒有“捷徑和絕招”。

Only a comprehensive approach, using every tool in the toolbox, has proven effective.

事實證明，只有采用綜合的手段才是有效的，每一種工具都要用一用。

"My message to every country now weighing up its options is: you can do it too.”

“我要送給每個正在權衡各種選擇的國家的忠告是：你們會戰勝病毒的。”

英文來源：聯合國新聞網

翻譯&編輯：丹妮