#pagenàygiúpbạnthúcđẩyquátrìnhhọctiếnganh

ADDRESS THE RISKS OF CLOSURES

Although Covid-19 is the headline health concern (mối lo ngại về sức khỏe luôn được quan
tâm, săn đón), long-term building closures (sự phong tỏa tòa nhà dài hạn) can present risks
of their own (tự gây ra các nguy cơ). Plumbing systems (hệ thống ống nước) that sit unused,
for instance, can be colonized (bị chiếm cứ làm thuộc địa) by Legionella pneumophila (1 loại
vi khuẩn), bacteria that can cause a type of pneumonia (viêm phổi) known as Legionnaires’
disease. “Long periods with stagnant, lukewarm water (nước đọng, còn âm ấm) in pipes —
the exact conditions in many under-occupied (ít người cư trú) buildings right now — create
ideal conditions (điều kiện lý tưởng) for growth of Legionella,” Dr. Allen said.

Note: present itself: if something presents itself, it happens

● An opportunity suddenly presented itself.

Some schools have already reported finding the bacteria in their water. In buildings with
lead pipes or fixtures (những đồ vật cố định), high levels of the toxic metal (kim loại độc
hại) can also accumulate (tích tụ) in stagnant water. Employers can reduce both risks by
thoroughly flushing their taps (bật vòi nước), or turning on the water and letting it run,
before reopening.

“We know that flushing water during periods of inactivity usually reduces lead levels (mức
độ chì) and also potentially bacteria that may form,” said Jennifer Hoponick Redmon, a
senior environmental health scientist at RTI International, a nonprofit research
organization (tổ chức nghiên cứu phi lợi nhuận) based (trụ sở đặt tại) in North Carolina. She
added: “A general rule of thumb (phương pháp dùng để đánh giá, đo lường cái gì dựa trên
kinh nghiệm) is 15 minutes to one hour of flushing for long-term closures, such as for
Covid-19.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends that companies check
for mold growth (sự phát triển của nấm mốc) and pest infestations (sự phá hoại của sâu
mọt) before reopening.
(sau cấu trúc giả định “recommend/suggest… thì câu sau dùng động từ không chia)

UPGRADE VENTILATION AND FILTRATION

Because the coronavirus is thought to spread primarily through tiny, airborne droplets
(những giọt nhỏ trong không khí), employers should upgrade their ventilation (thông gió,
khí,…) and filtration (lọc khí, nước,…) systems before bringing workers back, experts said.
“One thing you can do before you go back to work is simply ask them what they’ve done,”
Dr. Allen said. “And if you hear things like, ‘Yes, we’re meeting code (ý nói gặp nhau, tổ
chức các cuộc họp qua mật mã),’ then that’s a flag (nghĩa bóng: dấu hiệu) that something’s
not right. They should be going above and beyond (làm quá mức cần thiết, yêu cầu) the bare
minimum (mức thấp nhất có thể) ventilation and filtration rates.” (làm nhiều hơn cái mức
thấp nhất được đặt ra)

Note: go above and beyond sth = go overboard

Although the ideal ventilation rate varies, in general, employers should maximize the
amount of fresh air coming in from outdoors, he said. In a relatively small (tương đối nhỏ)
space — say, the size of a typical school classroom — employers should aim for four to six
air changes per hour, meaning that the air inside the space is being completely refreshed
every 10 to 15 minutes. Opening windows can also improve air flow (lưu lượng không khí).

Note: chú ý cách đọc của relatively. Đọc đúng phải là /ˈrel.ə.tɪv.li/

High-quality air filters, like those that are rated as MERV 13 or higher, can trap (giữ lại) a
majority of airborne viral particles (hạt vi-rút rất nhỏ lan tỏa trong không khí). Some
commercial buildings are not equipped for these heavy-duty (có thể làm những công việc
nặng, đòi hỏi cao) filters; in those offices, portable air purifiers (những máy lọc không khí
tiện lợi, có thể mang theo), equipped with HEPA filters, can be effective, experts said.
“These types of portable units can do a great job of taking particles out of the room,” Dr.
Huffman said. “And the next level is even a desktop level HEPA filter, where you have a
really small unit that provides clean air into your direct breathing zone.”

Note: trap (v): to keep something such as heat or water in one place, especially because it
is useful ~ giữ lại (nhiệt hoặc nước) ở nguyên một chỗ
● A greenhouse stays warm because the glass traps the heat of the sun.

These personal units may be particularly helpful in poorly ventilated offices, although
experts stressed (nhấn mạnh) that employers, not employees, should bear the burden
(chịu gánh nặng) of improving indoor air quality.