India’s vaccine drive progresses amid obstacles

Wednesday, June 16, 2021 - 01:00

Print Edition World

Vaccination against Covid was always going to be a massive challenge for India - a country of some 1.4 billion people.

对于印度这样一个拥有约14亿人口的国家来说，预防新冠的疫苗接种一直是一个巨大的挑战。

The programme had a smooth enough start. India began giving jabs on 16 January, first to frontline workers and those above the age of 60. But by May, when the drive was thrown open to everyone above the age of 18, the country was severely low on stocks - even as demand surged in the wake of a devastating second wave.

这个疫苗运动有一个相当顺利的开始。印度于1月16日开始接种疫苗，首先为一线人士和60岁以上的人接种。但到今年5月，当这项计划向18岁以上的所有人开放时，该国的库存严重不足——尽管在毁灭性的第二波浪潮过后，需求飙升。

The supply shortage, however, has not been the only challenge. India's effort to vaccinate its people has had varying success across regions because of other issues, from planning to infrastructure to misinformation.

然而，供应短缺并不是唯一的挑战。由于规划、基础设施和错误信息等其他问题，印度为人民接种疫苗的努力在不同地区取得了不同程度的成功。

Analysis by the BBC of 729 districts for which data was available shows wide disparities in per capita vaccination rates - some districts have given jabs to half their population, while others have vaccinated as little as 3%. Some urban and sparsely populated districts have fared better than other large or rural ones.

BBC对可获得数据的729个区进行的分析显示，人均接种率存在很大差异——一些区为一半人口接种了疫苗，而另一些区仅为3%的人口接种了疫苗。一些城市和人口稀少的地区比其他大城市和农村地区的情况要好。

Here's a snapshot of what went right - and wrong - in four districts. Two of them - Mahe and South Delhi - are near the top of the table, while the other two - South Salmara Mankachar and Tiruvannamalai - have struggled to vaccinate a sizeable number of their people.

以下是在四个地区走向正确和错误的简要描述。其中两个地区—马埃和南德里—接近榜单顶端，而另外两个地区—南萨尔马拉曼卡查尔和特鲁瓦纳玛莱—一直在努力为更多人口接种疫苗。

When Shivraj Meena took charge of Mahe, a tiny district on India's south-western coast, in February this year, he had his work cut out.

今年2月，当希夫拉吉·米纳(Shivraj Meena)开始掌管印度西南海岸的一个小地区马厄(Mahe)时，他面临着艰巨的任务。

The district's population - about 31,000 people - had to be vaccinated quickly because the second wave appeared to be looming already. But Mr Meena found that people felt unsure about the safety of the vaccines, and were also reluctant to come to the vaccination centres, fearing crowding.At just nine sq km (3.5 sq miles), India's smallest district has limited health infrastructure. So Mr Meena drew up a plan.

该地区的人口约3.1万人，而且不得不迅速接种疫苗，因为第二波流感似乎已经来临。但是Meena先生发现人们对疫苗的安全性感到不确定，而且也不愿意去接种中心，担心拥挤。这个印度最小的地区只有9平方公里(3.5平方英里)，医疗基础设施有限。因此，米纳草拟了一个计划。

"I called political leaders, religious leaders and community elders for meetings where I explained the efficacy of vaccines and pointed out that frontline workers had seen negligible adverse reactions after taking their shots," he said.

我召集政治领袖、宗教领袖和社区长者开会，向他们解释疫苗的功效，并指出一线工作者在注射疫苗后看到的不良反应微不足道。”

Efficacy n. /ˈefɪkəsi/ （尤指药物或治疗方法的）功效，效验，效力

negligible  adj. /ˈneɡlɪdʒəbl/ 微不足道的；不重要的；不值一提的 • The cost was negligible. 费用不大，无关紧要。

adverse  adj./ˈædvɜːs/  /ədˈvɜːs/  不利的；有害的；反面的 • adverse change/circumstances/weather conditions 不利的变动；逆境；恶劣天气

He then created 30 teams - made up of health workers, nurses and teachers - which went door to door, counselling and enrolling people, and issuing appointment tokens for vaccination.

然后，他创建了30个由卫生工作者、护士和教师组成的团队，他们挨家挨户地上门咨询和登记，并发放疫苗接种预约令牌。

counsel /ˈkaʊnsl/  动词1.提供专业咨询 •Therapists were brought in to counsel the bereaved. 请了治疗专家来劝慰死者的亲属。2.建议，劝告（做某事）• Most experts counsel caution in such cases. 大多数专家建议在这样的情况下要谨慎从事。名词1.（尤指年长者或专家的）劝告，忠告，建议 •Listen to the counsel of your elders. 要听从长辈的忠告。 2.( law 律 ) 法律顾问；律师•the counsel for the defence/prosecution 被告╱原告的律师 •defence/prosecuting counsel 被告╱原告的律师

The strategy worked. More than 53% of Mahe's population has been given the first dose so far, making it the top-performing district in the vaccine drive.

这个策略见效了。到目前为止，超过53%的马埃人已经注射了第一剂疫苗，使其成为疫苗运动中表现最好的地区。

"You just need to identify the problem and the solution can be found accordingly," Mr Meena said.

米纳先生说道：“你只需要发现问题，然后就可以根据问题找到方法。”

'We are scared and suspicious'

“我们很担心而且有疑惑”

South Salmara Mankachar, a remote district in India's north-eastern state of Assam, is the worst performer so far.

印度东北部阿萨姆邦的偏远地区南萨尔马拉曼卡查尔是迄今为止表现最差的地区。

In these agrarian, largely Muslim villages bordering Bangladesh, officials have been able to vaccinate only 3% of the half a million people living here. "I have heard that people die after getting vaccinated," said Monowar Islam Mondal, a farmer who has not got his shot yet. He alleges a conspiracy against the Muslim community.

在这些与孟加拉国接壤的以穆斯林为主的农业村庄，官员只能为这里50万人中的3%接种疫苗。“我听说有人在接种疫苗后死亡，”尚未接种疫苗的农民Monowar Islam Mondal说。他声称这是针对穆斯林社区的阴谋。

Agrarian  adj. /əˈɡreəriən/ (术语) 农业的；土地的；耕地的

Bangladesh /ˌbæŋɡləˈdeʃ/ n. 孟加拉国（亚洲国家）

Recent state elections saw the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) win after a divisive campaign that targeted unauthorised migrants from across the border, many of them Muslim.

最近的邦选举中，右翼政党印度人民党(BJP)在一场针对越境非法移民(其中许多是穆斯林)的分裂运动后获胜。

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's claim that the BJP doesn't need Muslim votes was widely quoted in the media. The BJP does not like the Muslim minority and says that it will drive us out of Assam. Then why are they being generous and giving us free vaccines now? We are scared and suspicious, so we do not want these vaccines," Mr Mondal said.

印度首席部长希曼塔·比斯瓦·萨尔马(Himanta Biswa Sarma)声称印度人民党不需要穆斯林选票，这一言论被媒体广泛引用。印度人民党不喜欢穆斯林少数派，声称会把我们赶出阿萨姆邦。那他们为什么现在慷慨地给我们免费疫苗?我们感到害怕和怀疑，所以我们不想要这些疫苗，”蒙达尔表示。

It's a sentiment echoed by many others in the district. But officials said it was not the reason for low vaccine rates.Deputy Commissioner Hiwre Nisarg GauTam said the low turnout is a result of the district's topography - people are unwilling to make the long trek from their homes to the vaccine centres.

这个地区的许多人也表达了同样的观点。但官员们表示，这不是疫苗接种率低的原因。副专员Hiwre Nisarg GauTam说，接种率低是该地区的地形造成的，人们不愿意从家里长途跋涉到疫苗接种中心。

echo /ˈekəʊ/ vt. 反射；重复；vi. 随声附和；发出回声；n. 回音；效仿

topography  n. /təˈpɒɡrəfi/ (术语) 地形；地貌；地势；地形学

Misinformation has derailed the drive. Another state that recently held an election and has shown poor levels of vaccination is Tamil Nadu, in the south.

错误信息使疫苗运动偏离了方向。南部的泰米尔纳德邦最近举行了选举，疫苗接种水平也很低。

derail  v. /dɪˈreɪl/ (火车)（使）脱轨，出轨• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。

Most districts here have given the jab to just 4-6% of their populations.Tiruvannamalai, one of the largest districts, is also among the poorest." There was a lack of focus on coronavirus and vaccination during the election," said Saravanan, who maintains and repairs television cables.His job takes him inside people's homes, but he hasn't been vaccinated yet. He said he never felt the urgency to take the shot."They speak about it now but they were silent then, as if corona was not there during the election."

这里的大多数地区只给4% -6%的人口注射了疫苗。Tiruvannamalai是最大的地区之一，也是最贫穷的地区之一。负责维护和维修电视电缆的萨拉瓦南说:“选举期间，人们缺乏对冠状病毒和疫苗接种的关注。”他的工作是进入人们的家中，但他还没有接种疫苗。他说他从来没感受到接种疫苗的紧迫性。“他们现在谈论这件事，但那时他们沉默了，就好像选举期间没有新冠疫情一样。”

Others cite fear of vaccines - a popular actor had died within days of taking his jab.

其他人则认为是对疫苗的恐惧——一位受欢迎的演员在注射疫苗几天后死亡。

"There was a vaccination camp in the village. But people are afraid as actor Vivek died soon after taking his vaccine. I will take the vaccine, anyway. But as I am not moving around anywhere and staying at home, I thought I can take it later," said a farmer. Dr.Ajitha, deputy director of health services in the district, pointed to its huge size and population to explain the low rate of vaccination."We were struggling with a low footfall even before elections and vaccine hesitancy amongst the largely rural population has been a huge challenge." (BBC)

“村里有一个疫苗接种营地。但是人们很害怕，因为演员维维克在注射疫苗后不久就去世了。无论如何我都要接种疫苗但由于我不会四处走动，一直呆在家里，我想我可以晚点再注射。”一位农民说道。 ajitha博士是该地区卫生服务的副主任，他指出其庞大区域面积和人口数量是疫苗接种率低的原因。“甚至在选举之前，我们就在努力应对低接种人数，而在农村人口中，对接种疫苗的犹豫不决一直是一个巨大的挑战。”

原文链接：http://www.dailynews.lk/2021/06/16/world/251701/india%E2%80%99s-vaccine-drive-progresses-amid-obstacles