Episode 0351

Hello everyone and welcome to English pod. My name is Marco.

My name is Catherine.

and today we're talking about an uncomfortable subject not because it's uncomfortable to talk about, but because it's, well, it doesn't really feel good when you have to go do it.

That's right, today we're going to the doctor, but because we need to get vaccines.

All right, so vaccines, these are, well, let's listen out during the dialogue and maybe you can guess what this word means. When we come back, we'll be defining it for you, talking about different kinds of vaccines.

But just remember that we're talking about going to the doctor to get these shots. So let's take a listen to that dialogue.

Hello Mrs. Parker, how have you been?

Hello, Dr. Peters. Just fine, thank you. Ricky and I are here for his vaccines.

Very well, let's see. According to his vaccination record, Ricky has received his polio, tetanus, and hepatitis B shots. He is 14 months old, so he is due for hepatitis A, chickenpox, and measles shots.

What about Rubella and Mumps?

Well, I can only give him these for now, and after a couple of weeks, I can administer the rest.

Doctor, I think I also may need a tetanus booster.

Last time I got it was maybe 15 years ago.

We'll check our records and I'll have the nurse administer the booster as well.

Now, please hold Ricky's arm tight. This may sting a little.

All right, we're back. So now let's take a look at all of these words. They are a little bit difficult, but we'll try to define them on Language Takeaway.

So, Marco, first off, what is a vaccine?

So, a vaccine, we can say, is a type of medicine, um, but it's basically an injection or medicine, what are helping a person defend him or herself against a specific type of disease.

Okay, so vaccination is medicine you receive before you're sick so that in the future, you won't, you won't get sick with that disease.

That's right, that's right.

So that's a vaccine. There are many, many different types of vaccines, and of course, when you do get them, you need to keep track of them via a vaccination record.

So, a record is basically a list or a document that shows what has been done. And this is very important when you go to the doctor to have a record of the things that you have received, the vaccines you've received.

So, for example, if, uh, if I have a baby and I want the baby to have vaccinations, we'd have to keep a record of all of his vaccinations.

That's right. So we are, uh, obviously, we get different vaccines at different stages in our life. Let's talk about some of the ones that we're taking a look at today.

So, for example, we have a tetanus vaccine or a tetanus shot.

All right, the tetanus shot is very famous because it's maybe the most painful. It really makes you sore for a little while.

Um, and most people get the tetanus shot when they're very young. This prevents you from getting the disease tetanus, and, uh, tetanus is something you can get from animals or from, uh, dirty nails, dirty metal, uh, anything that, that pokes out at you.

And so you get the tetanus shot, but then after your tetanus shot every five or 10 years, you need to get a booster shot. So there's the tetanus shot and there's the tetanus booster.

So when we talk about a booster, when we're talking about vaccines, is basically you are reinforcing it, you are making it stronger because obviously over time it becomes weak. The medicine won't last forever, so you need to get a booster to make sure that you are still protected.

Basically, it's an update. That's right. So,

we have tetanus and tetanus booster, but we have another kind of vaccine. The disease here is called hepatitis.

That's right. So we're taking a look at hepatitis B and hepatitis A. So there are different types of, uh, hepatitis.

That's right. So both kinds of, um, hepatitis you can catch from other people, although hepatitis A, I believe, you can catch from, um, saliva or contact, whereas hepatitis B, you catch from other people's blood, or if you, um, have a relationship with someone. So,

hepatitis A and B are different. Hepatitis B affects your liver.

And so there are different kinds of, uh, severity here.

Now, hepatitis A and B, there are vaccinations for. You can get those shots, and it's very important if you're traveling to places, uh, that require them so that you don't get sick.

Okay.

So, uh, well, these, uh, different types of hepatitis, uh, they are dangerous, right? And they are, they could be fatal.

But another one that's very, very common, especially with young kids, uh, we have chickenpox.

Chickenpox. Now it's kind of a funny name, chickenpox, p o x.

Uh, but it's also, like you say, very common. So, basically, the symptoms are what, you get these red bumps all over your body, and they itch. You want to scratch and scratch and scratch. And so,

uh, I remember when I had this, I was a little kid. My mom said, don't scratch because if you scratch, it will leave a mark.

Right, it leaves a scar.

Mhm. So, yeah, chickenpox, you get these, uh, little rashes all over your body. They're very itchy, um, but they will go away with time.

Now, uh, it's, it's usually, I've heard that it's recommended that people get it. Actually, you should get it when you're young because it's more dangerous if you get it as an adult.

That's right. It's very painful as an adult.

So, um, basically, chickenpox, uh, they say if you get it once, you can't get it again. But if you get it as an adult, it's shingles, it's very painful.

Mhm. Okay. Very good.

So, we've taken a look at a lot of vocab here. Why don't we now, uh, jump to another section. Let's continue talking about, uh, these different types of vaccines. Let's go to Language Takeaway Part 2.

All right, so we have this special category of vaccinations. They usually go together. We have mumps, measles, and rubella, or, here's a special acronym: MMR, Mumps, Measles, Rubella.

Okay, so you basically get like a little combo, you usually get all three of them at one go.

Mhm. So what, what are these measles?

All right, measles. Well, measles is a virus. He's got the measles. You often read books from like the 19th century where everyone gets the measles when they're a child.

Um, but measles is basically a virus, but it's kind of like the chickenpox because you get a rash on your skin.

Mhm. And is it, is it fatal? Like, can you die from the measles?

I think in the old days you could, but these days it's pretty, pretty easy to take care of.

Mhm. And what about mumps?

Now mumps, um, I'm not too sure about this, but I'm, I've heard that mumps is like a swelling in the space between your jaw and your ear. So you know where your ear kind of comes down to your jaw? That, that part of your head starts to swell and is very uncomfortable.

Right. And it could cause, uh, like the consequences, it could be fatal, right?

Uh-huh. And what about Rubella?

Rubella is another kind of rash and from my reading, I, I saw that Rubella is not very dangerous for most people, but it is very dangerous for pregnant women.

Uh, so most pregnant women are tested for Rubella, or the Rubella vaccine, and they're told to get the vaccine before they're pregnant, so that they don't get this disease and harm their baby because they can have a, um, miscarriage if they get Rubella while they're pregnant.

Right, right.

Okay, so, uh, pretty much you want to get all these vaccines to make sure that you don't get sick in the future.

Now, when we were talking about getting the vaccines, um, the doctor said, he didn't say you're going to get the vaccines or I'm going to give you a vaccine. He said, uh, I'll have the nurse administer the vaccine or administer the booster.

That's right. So the verb here that we use with vaccine is to administer, and this is something that the nurse does or the doctor does.

And it's just a way to say that the, the nurse will give you this shot. To give you a shot, but, um, administer is more formal.

It's more common in the medical, kind of, medical talk. Um, so you'd say administer the test or administer the vaccine.

So, for example, a doctor, a doctor would say, I'm going to administer a shot of penicillin.

That's right. Or I'm going to administer this blood test. That means I'm actually going to do it right now.

Now, obviously, these vaccines, some of them you can't take as a little pill, uh, some of them you can't take as drops, like, uh, you know, it's very painless, but some of them you have to get a shot and sometimes they do hurt.

And we saw in the dialogue that the doctor said, this may sting a little.

Doctors always say this before they give you a shot. This may sting a little.

Now sting is a verb that means to hurt.

But it's not like I hit you in the face, boom, and it stings.

No, a sting is like a, kind of a, a very, very light hurt. It's like a pinch, it stings.

Like a small, sharp pain.

Small, sharp pain.

That's a good way to describe it. So, um, often times we talk about bees, you know, bees that fly around, they sting you. Right. All right. So it's a small, sharp pain.

Okay, very good. So, let's listen to the dialogue again, let's keep a look out for how we pronounce all of these words and we'll be back in a bit.

Hello Mrs. Parker, how have you been?

Hello, Dr. Peters. Just fine, thank you. Ricky and I are here for his vaccines.

Very well, let's see. According to his vaccination record, Ricky has received his polio, tetanus, and hepatitis B shots. He is 14 months old, so he is due for hepatitis A, chickenpox, and measles shots.

What about Rubella and Mumps?

Well, I can only give him these for now, and after a couple of weeks, I can administer the rest.

Doctor, I think I also may need a tetanus booster.

Last time I got it was maybe 15 years ago.

We'll check our records and I'll have the nurse administer the booster as well.

Now, please hold Ricky's arm tight. This may sting a little.

So, nowadays, uh, most of these shots are administered when the babies are just born. They're, they're still in the hospital and they get a lot of vaccines and, uh, to prevent them from getting these things.

That's right. And I remember when I was a kid, we didn't even have a vaccine for chickenpox. So these days there are more and more. The oldest, I think, is the polio vaccine.

The one that we hear the most about because it was a very serious disease that affected a lot of people up until the 1940s and 50s, I believe.

So, um, it's, yeah, it's important really to, to read about these things and to educate yourself so that you know what you should get yourself and your kids.

That's exactly right because it's, it's very important. Most of these diseases or most of these viruses have been eradicated.

Because more and more people have have had access to vaccines. Like for example, polio, it's very rare, you would say to actually get it nowadays because there's a vaccine.

But, uh, it's very, very important, I think.

But some people get a little bit too nervous like, for example, whenever they travel to a tropical country, they al- they're always afraid of yellow fever, so they get yellow fever shots.

But I've never really, um, seen anyone get yellow fever because you go to like Thailand for a week.

A friend of mine went to Thailand and got dengue fever.

Really. So there's no vaccination for this, but it is a very painful disease you can get in tropical places.

So I think the moral is, talk to your doctor, see what he or she suggests, because they will understand maybe better than you will. And then, you know, just follow their advice for different places that you're traveling to.

That's right.

So that's all the time we have for today, but if you guys have any questions or doubts, you could always visit us at our website englishpod.com and we'll be there to answer it.

The English Pod audio review.

Listen to the meaning, then say the vocabulary word.

A medical substance that protects people or animals.

Vaccine.

Acute viral disease usually affecting children and young adults.

Polio.

An infectious, often fatal disease caused by a specific bacterium that enters the body through wounds.

Tetanus.

Inflammation of the liver caused by a virus or a toxin.

Hepatitis.

A mild contagious viral disease characterized by fever, mild upper respiratory congestion and a fine red rash lasting a few days.

Rubella.

A disease common of children characterized by mild headache and fever, and eruption of blisters on the skin.

Chickenpox.

An acute infectious disease occurring mostly in children, red spots being a common symptom.

Measles.

Characterized by inflammatory swelling of the other salivary glands.

Mumps.

Let's try that faster.

An acute infectious disease occurring mostly in children, red spots being a common symptom.

Measles.

A disease common of children characterized by mild headache and fever, and eruption of blisters on the skin.

Chickenpox.

A medical substance that protects people or animals.

Vaccine.

A mild contagious viral disease characterized by fever, mild upper respiratory congestion and a fine red rash lasting a few days.

Rubella.

Inflammation of the liver caused by a virus or a toxin.

Hepatitis.

Characterized by inflammatory swelling of the other salivary glands.

Mumps.

An infectious, often fatal disease caused by a specific bacterium that enters the body through wounds.

Tetanus.

Acute viral disease usually affecting children and young adults.

Polio.

Now say the word and hear it in a sentence.

Polio.

Polio was basically eliminated early in the 20th century.

Polio.

Jonas Salk created the first polio vaccine.

Polio.

If untreated, polio can cause paralysis.

Chickenpox.

My entire class got chickenpox when I was in the third grade.

Chickenpox.

Chickenpox is not a fatal disease, but it is very irritating.

Chickenpox.

A person with chickenpox will have little rashes all over the body.

Vaccine.

Scientists are working on an AIDS vaccine.

Vaccine.

There are many vaccines for pets such as dogs or cats.

Vaccine.

The flu vaccine is very popular in winter.

Hepatitis.

The doctor will administer a small dose of heroin to ease the pain.

Hepatitis.

Only doctors can administer certain types of drugs.

Hepatitis.

An antibiotic may be administered orally or by an injection.

Measles.

Measles are also referred to as rubeola.

Measles.

People that have measles will have a fever, runny nose, cough, and red eyes.

Measles.

There was a recent outbreak of measles in Boston.