口罩对阻止猪流感传播有帮助吗？中英文对照
Can masks help stop flu spread?口罩对阻止流感传播有帮助吗？By Nick Triggle Health reporter, BBC News 医疗卫生记者，BBC新闻
One of the abiding images of the swine flu outbreak is the pictures from Mexico of people wandering the streets wearing masks. 猪流感爆发后来自墨西哥一个常见的画面是人们戴着口罩在街上漫步。
And as the disease has spread from country to country, reports have emerged of people purchasing all sorts of products on the internet.当疫病向各国蔓延时，网络上也开始出现人们抢购各种防护用品的消息。
But while the scramble is understandable, experts are sceptical about just how useful they are. 但是，尽管这种抢购可以理解，专家们还是不能肯定这些用品的效用。
Professor John Oxford, a virologist at leading London hospital, The Barts and the London, said: "Really, there is very little evidence that masks actually offer much protection against flu.
来自伦敦最一流的医院The Barts and the London的病毒专家John Oxford教授说：“确实没有什么根据可以证实口罩对于防范流感能提供多少 实际的保护。”
"I think handing them out to the public as has happened in Mexico just destroys confidence."
“我认为像墨西哥那样向公众发放口罩会摧毁了人们的信心。”
Health staff
It is these sorts of issues that has prompted officials from groups such as the World Health Organization and England\'s Health Protection Agency to steer clear of calling for them for general public use.
医护人员
这样一类问题让来自世卫组织和英国保健机构的官员们退避三舍，而不是为公共需求而呼吁。
While Mexico has handed them out to members of the public, most other countries, including the UK, are just reserving them for health staff. 尽管墨西哥向公众发放了口罩，但大多数国家包括英国仅限于向医护人员发放口罩。
Others, such as Belgium, have bought some for flu patients, while several, including Spain, have handed them out to passengers on planes returning from affected areas.
其他国家，如比利时给流感病人买了一些口罩，而有几个国家包括西班牙向疫区返回航班上的乘客发放口罩。
It is believed there are enough masks for half the NHS workforce, but officials are already in discussion with suppliers about ordering another 30m to help cope if a pandemic develops.
Health workers have been told to wear them, along with special gloves, if they are in contact with potential victims.
据信，口罩足够供应英国50%享受全民健康服务的人员，不过官员们已经在和供应商讨论增加订购3000万个口罩，以应对疫情的蔓延。
医护人员被告知如果与可能的患者接触，要戴口罩和专用手套。
“ The problem is that when someone sneezes they tend to take a mask off. I think masks give people a false sense of security ” Dr Ronald Cutler, of the University of London
“问题是有人打喷嚏时往往会摘下口罩。我认为口罩给人一种虚假的安全感，”伦敦大学的Ronald Cutler博士说。
Professor Oxford believes this approach is right.
"They are the people who will be most likely to be coming into contact with the virus and the ones who could be passing it on."
The Department of Health has focused on getting what are known as respirator masks. These have filters, which stop a person breathing in some particles in the air.
They are much more effective than the standard surgical masks or dust masks that are sometimes used by builders.
However, none of the masks can stop 100% of the particles getting through and become less effective once they become moist.
Instead, they are better at stopping the virus getting out.
Oxford 教授认为戴口罩这种方法是正确的
“他们是最有可能接触病毒和传染病毒的人。”
卫生部重点准备那些带过滤装置的口罩，这种口罩的过滤器可以防止人吸入空气中的一些微粒。
它们比标准的外科口罩或有时建筑工人使用的防尘口罩要有效得多。
不过，没有一种口罩能够百分之百地阻截空气中的微粒，一旦变湿，效用就要减弱。
相反，它们阻止病毒从体内逸出的作用更大。
Spread
Dr Ronald Cutler, deputy director of biomedical science at the University of London, said: "If you sneeze with a mask the virus will be contained so from that point of view if everyone wore them it might stop the spread.
传播
伦敦大学生物医学系副主任Ronald Cutler博士说：“如果你戴着口罩打喷嚏，病毒就被阻截在口罩里，因此，从这一点看，任何人戴口罩都可以阻止病毒传播。
"Or you could get the people with flu wearing them, but by the time they are diagnosed it could be too late. “或许你可以让流感患者戴口罩，但是等他们已确认为流感时就已为时过迟。
"And the problem is that when someone sneezes they tend to take a mask off. I think masks give people a false sense of security. “问题是有人打喷嚏时往往会拉下口罩，我认为口罩给人以一种虚假的安全感。
"They are not bio-chemical suits. Masks are obviously just covering one part of the body so your hands and clothes could all have the virus on and when you take them off you will infect yourself.
“它们不是生化服。显然，口罩只是遮盖了身体的一部分，你的手和衣服可能都带有病毒，当你摘下口罩时，就会被自身携带的病毒传染。
"However, because people are wearing a mask they will think they are protected and may go into crowded areas. “可是，因为人们戴了口罩，所以认为自己已受到保护，就可能出入于人群聚焦区域。
"The best advice is to wash your hands and cover your mouth when sneezing." “最好的办法是洗手，打喷嚏时用手捂住嘴。”
Glamorgan University expert Gail Lusardi agreed. （英国）格拉摩根郡大学专家Gail Lusardi同意这一点。
"Masks alone will not prevent spread of the influenza virus and basic hygiene measures like hand washing, safe use and disposal of tissues and cleaning of environmental surfaces are key to preventing infection transmission."
She also said it was important they were correctly fitted - some of the more expensive respirator masks are molded to fit the face unlike standard masks that can be bought on the high street.
And she added: "A mask can be worn continuously for up to eight to 10 hours, but must be replaced if it is taken off at any stage."
“仅仅是口罩不能防止流感病毒的传播，洗手、安全使用和处理纸巾、清洁周围环境是防范流感传播的关键。”
她也说佩戴尺寸合适的口罩很重要——一些比较贵的过滤式口罩是按照人的脸型制作的，不像在大街上就能买到的那些标准口罩。
她补充说：“一只口罩持续佩戴可以达8-10个小时，但是期间一旦摘下就必须更换。”