像流感这样的病毒往往通过口腔和鼻子进入，但是我们的鼻腔通常对它们有很强的防御能力。然而，寒冷的天气减慢了我们清除鼻腔内粘液的能力，使病毒更容易感染我们的身体。
Risks for infection can also increase based on where we spend most of our time during the winter: indoors. Here, we gather closely in spaces that may offer less-than-ideal ventilationand cramped personal space. Heating systems also make indoor air drier. Studies have shown that these conditions can greatly affect the transmission of respiratory viruses.
在冬季，感染的风险也会增加，因为我们在冬季大部分时间是在室内度过的。在室内，我们紧密地聚集在一个地方，这里可能提供不太理想的通风和狭窄的个人空间。供暖系统也使室内空气变得更干燥。研究表明，这些条件会大大影响呼吸道病毒的传播。
Not surprisingly, the high numbers of people traveling and gathering during the recent winter holidays have contributed to the surge in the highly contagious COVID-19 Omicron variant.
毫不奇怪，在最近的寒假期间，大量的人旅行和聚会，促成了高度传染性的COVID-19奥密克戎变异株的激增。
02
How to reduce your chance of infection
如何减少你被感染的几率
Getting vaccinated for the flu and vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19 are your best protection against serious illness and hospitalization. While Omicron infections mimic the cold in many vaccinated/boosted people, others have been hit far harder. This is especially true among the unvaccinated.
接种流感疫苗和接种COVID-19疫苗并增强免疫力，是防止你出现重症和住院的最佳保护措施。虽然在许多接种过疫苗/加强针的人身上，感染奥密克戎后的症状与感冒类似，但其他人受到的打击要大得多，在未接种疫苗的人中尤其如此。
According to recent research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), unvaccinated people are 20 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than fully vaccinated people with boosters or additional doses.
根据美国疾病控制和预防中心（CDC）最近的研究，未接种疫苗的人死于COVID-19的可能性是接种了强化疫苗或额外剂量的人的20倍。
Of course, continuing additional precautions helps protect against infections:
当然，继续采取额外的预防措施是有助于阻挡感染的：
Wear a mask.Masks are a simple, effective way to shield yourself and others from spreading viruses through respiratorydroplets.
戴上口罩。口罩是一种简单而有效的方法，可以保护自己和他人不通过呼吸道飞沫传播病毒。
Practice social distancing.Stay at least 6 feet from others.
实行保持社交距离。与他人保持至少6英尺的距离。
Wash your hands regularly.Frequent handwashing can help protect against many infections, including the flu and common cold.
常洗手。经常洗手可以帮助预防许多感染，包括流感和普通感冒。
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.Keeping your hands away from your face reduces your risk of germs entering your body.
避免触摸你的眼睛、鼻子和嘴。让你的手远离脸，可以减少病菌进入身体的风险。
词汇精讲
transmissible
/ trænsˈmɪsəb(ə)l /
adj.能传送的；能透射的；可传达的
例句：When human cases become transmissiblefrom human to human, a flu epidemic begins.
当出现人与人之间可以相互传播的案例时，流感大流行就开始了。
strike
/ straɪk /
v/n.打，撞；（用手或武器等）打；（使）碰撞；罢工；突然想到，突然意识到；突然袭击；（疾病、灾难等）侵袭
例句：A moderate earthquake struckthe northeastern United States early on Saturday.
美国东北部周六早晨遭遇了一次中等强度的地震。
nasal
/ ˈneɪz(ə)l /
adj.与鼻子有关的，带鼻音的
例句：The nasalspray was new on the market and highly efficacious.
这种鼻腔喷雾剂是市场新品，非常有效。
ventilation
/ ˌventɪˈleɪʃn /
n.通风，通风系统；（医）（尤指人工）给肺提供空气；（对意见、问题、抱怨等的）公开讨论（或调查）
例句：The only ventilationcomes from tiny sliding windows.
惟一的通风来自几扇小小的推拉窗。
respiratory
/ rəˈspɪrət(ə)ri /
adj.呼吸的
例句：Smoking places you at serious risk of cardiovascular and respiratorydisease.
吸烟会严重增加罹患心血管和呼吸道疾病的风险。返回搜狐，查看更多