意外的「聖誕禮物」
With more omicron cases being detected in several countries, people are concerned about the highly-mutated variant.
隨著多國出現Omicron變異株確診病例，人們對於這個高度變異的變種病毒感到擔憂。
detect(v.)偵測;檢測be concerned about sth.=擔心某事mutate(v.)變異;突變variant(n.)變體;變異;變種
However, it is unclear how much omicron will erode the vaccine efficacy.
不過，Omicron變異株削弱疫苗保護力的程度目前尚無定論，
erode(v.)腐蝕;削弱
Whether it will cause more severe illness than delta also remains unknown.
而且比起Delta變異株，該變種病毒會否導致更嚴重的症狀也仍是個未知數。
severe(adj.)嚴重的
Professor Karl Lauterbach, a German clinical epidemiologist, said that the omicron variant could be a “Christmas gift” and may make the pandemic end sooner.
德國臨床流行病學家勞德巴赫教授表示，Omicron變異株可能是一份「聖誕禮物」，反而會讓疫情更快結束。
It is suggested that omicron has 32 mutations on the spike protein alone, which is twice as many as delta.
Omicron變異株光是棘蛋白就有32種突變，是Delta變異株的兩倍之多，
mutation(n.)變異;突變
This means that omicron could be more transmissible but less deadly, which is in line with how most respiratory viruses evolve, even though the variant causes breakthrough infection.
這代表它可能變得更具傳染力，但其致死率會降低，雖然還是會造成突破性感染，但這與多數呼吸道病毒的進化方式一致。
transmissible(adj.)具有傳染力的be in line with=與…一致evolve(v.)進化
It comes after experts in South Africa claimed that omicron causes milder symptoms than previous variants.
南非醫療專家指出Omicron確診病例的症狀比過去的變種病毒都還要溫和。
mild(adj.)輕微的;溫和的symptom(n.)症狀
South African doctors who treated COVID patients said that omicron by far appears to be causing mild symptoms, such as dry cough, fever, headaches and muscle aches.
治療新冠肺炎患者的南非醫生則表示，Omicron確診病患目前僅出現乾咳、發燒、頭痛及肌肉痠痛等輕微症狀。
treat(v.)治療
Patients normally recover within a few days as the symptoms wear off.
症狀消失後，病患通常會在幾天內康復。
recover(v.)復原;康復wear off=逐漸消失;磨損