One of the abiding images of the swine flu outbreak is the pictures from Mexico of people wandering the streets wearing masks.
自從豬流感爆發以來，墨西哥街頭來往人群戴口罩的場景已經成為電視上常見的鏡頭之一。

And as the disease has spread from country to country, reports have emerged of people purchasing all sorts of products on the internet.
隨著豬流感在世界范圍內的擴散，人們上網購買各類口罩的消息便不斷傳出。

But while the scramble is understandable, experts are sceptical about just how useful they are.
人們這樣做盡管可以理解，但不少專家依舊質疑這樣做的效果。

Professor John Oxford, a virologist at leading London hospital, said: "Really, there is very little evidence that masks actually offer much protection against flu.
倫敦醫院的病毒學家約翰·奧克斯福德教授表示，戴上口罩就能預防流感的證據十分微薄。

"I think handing them out to the public as has happened in Mexico just destroys confidence."
他說，“我覺得像墨西哥現在這種給公眾發口罩的行為只會摧毀人們的信心。”

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.
正是由于上述的這些因素，諸如世界衛生組織以及英國保健局之類的官方機構一直拒絕倡導公眾都要戴口罩。

While Mexico has handed them out to members of the public, most other countries, including the UK, are just reserving them for health staff.
墨西哥給公眾發口罩，而包括英國在內的大多數國家，目前還只是主張醫護人員需要佩戴口罩。

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.
其他國家的反應不一。比利時給流感病人購置了一批口罩，而西班牙則在從感染區返航的飛機上給乘客發送口罩。

Health workers have been told to wear them, along with special gloves, if they are in contact with potential victims.
醫護人員在接觸疑似病例的時候，需要佩戴口罩和特制的手套。

Professor Oxford believes this approach is right.
奧克斯福德教授肯定了這種做法。

"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."
“他們是最可能接觸到病毒，并且最可能傳播病毒的一類群體。”

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.
倫敦大學生理醫學副總監羅納德·卡特勒醫生表示，如果感染病毒的人打噴嚏的時候帶著口罩，那么可以防止把病毒傳染給別人。從這個角度來講，只要大家都帶口罩，就能限制病毒傳播。

"Or you could get the people with flu wearing them, but by the time they are diagnosed it could be too late.
“不過給確診的病人戴口罩恐怕為時已晚，因為從病毒潛伏到確診已經有一段時間了?！?/P>

"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.
“另一個存在的問題是，很多戴口罩的人真打噴嚏的時候還是會先把口罩摘掉，所以我認為口罩給人們的是一種錯誤的安全感。”

"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. "
“口罩并不是生化產品，它們顯然只能保護身體的一部分。手上、衣服上同樣會攜帶病毒，當你脫衣服的時候，你就可能被感染。”

"However, because people are wearing a mask they will think they are protected and may go into crowded areas.
所以，人們不能因為戴了口罩就掉以輕心，想當然地進出擁擠場所。

"The best advice is to wash your hands and cover your mouth when sneezing."
“最好的辦法就是洗手，并在打噴嚏的時候用手遮住口部。”