The many U-turns of Boris Johnson鮑里斯·約翰遜的各種“自打臉”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson surprised the United Kingdom this weekend by announcing tough new coronavirus restrictions in some areas just days after saying such measures would be "inhuman." But at the close of an unpredictable and unprecedented year, the British leader's U-turn on holiday season travel and gatherings was just one more in a series of rosy predictions and failed promises. Here's a short review:
英國首相鮑里斯·約翰遜本週末出人意料地宣佈了在英國部分地區採取嚴格的疫情限制措施，而幾天前他曾說過此類措施是“不人道的”，言猶在耳。但在這個前所未見、不可預料的一年即將結束之際，英國領導人就節日期間旅行與聚集的限制政策的轉變，僅僅是他這一年中做出的一系列未能實現的樂觀估計中的一個。以下是一個簡單回顧：
December 16, 2020 - Canceling Christmas would be 'inhuman'
2020年12月16日——取消聖誕節（計劃）是“不人道的”
What Johnson said: "We don't want to ban Christmas, to cancel it, and I think that would be frankly inhuman and against the instincts of many people in this country."
約翰遜說：“我們不希望禁止甚至取消聖誕節活動，我認為這是不人道的，也違背了很多國人的本性。”
What happened next: Four days later, Boris Johnson announced that London, the southeast and the east of England would be put under Tier 4 restrictions -- essentially a lockdown -- scrapping or severely restricting Christmas travel plans for millions of people.
The lockdowns were spurred the discovery of a new strain of coronavirus.
但實際上：4天后，鮑里斯·約翰遜便宣佈將在倫敦及英格蘭東南及東部地區實施4級限制——基本上相當於封鎖了，這也嚴重導致數百萬人的聖誕期間旅行計劃被取消或受到嚴重影響。實施封鎖的因為發現了變異的新冠病毒。
July 17, 2020 -- A 'return to normality' by Christmas
2020年7月17日——在聖誕節前“恢復正常”
What Johnson said: "It is my strong and sincere hope that we will be able to review the outstanding restrictions and allow a more significant return to normality from November at the earliest, possibly in time for Christmas."
約翰遜說：“我強烈且真誠期待我們最早在11月可以對仍在執行的限制措施進行評估，以便在聖誕節之前有望儘量恢復正常。”
What happened next: An easing of restrictions had been announced on July 17 for the beginning of August. The plan included allowing indoor performances with live audiences and pilot schemes of larger gatherings in places like sports stadiums to be held "with a view to a wider reopening in the autumn," and the withdrawal of a blanket advice to work from home.
但實際上：7月17日英國宣佈自8月起放松管制措施，允許室內表演有現場觀眾觀看，就體育場等大型聚集場所“在秋季時能更大規模的重新開放”提出了試點方案，並取消了在家工作的總體建議。
By October 14, with cases rising dramatically across the country, Johnson mocked Labour Party leader Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions for suggesting a new lockdown was needed, saying: "Let's try to avoid the misery of another national lockdown which he would want to impose, as I said, in a headlong way."
到10月14日時，雖然該國病例數量激增，在工黨領導人質詢首相時建議採取新的封鎖措施時，約翰遜仍不忘調侃他：“讓我們儘量避免採取他輕率建議的新一輪全國封鎖吧。”
Two weeks later, on October 31, Johnson announced a second national lockdown effective November 5 for a four-week period.
兩週後的10月31日，約翰遜就宣佈自11月5日起，英國進入為期四周的第二輪全國性封鎖。
May 20, 2020 -- 'World-beating' test and trace system up and running by June 1
2020年5月20日——在6月1日前完成“全球一流的”測試及追蹤系統建設，並投入使用
What Johnson said: "We have growing confidence that we will have a test, track and trace operation that will be world-beating and yes, it will be in place by June 1."
約翰遜說：“我們越來越有信心建設世界一流的測試、追蹤及追溯系統，是的，它將在6月1日前就位。”
What happened next: On May 27, UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced the launch of a "test and trace" system in England. For the test and trace system to be effective, the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) said in May that at least 80% of contacts must be reached. However, according to Government figures, in the week ending 14 October, only 59.6% of close contacts were reached, the lowest since the test-and-trace operation was launched. By October, waiting times for test results were also longer than they were at the end of June.
但實際上：雖然5月27日英國衛生達成便宣佈在英格蘭推出“測試及追蹤”系統，但要確保系統的有效性，英國緊急狀況科學顧問團隊稱至少要能追蹤到80%的密切接觸者。根據英國政府資料，到10月14日止，這個系統只能追蹤到59.6%的接觸者，這也是系統推出以來最低的追蹤率。而10月份排隊等待測試的時間比6月底時也更久了。
By October 22, the Government admitted there was "room for improvement" on test and trace, with Boris Johnson saying: "I share people's frustrations and we need to improve it."
10月22日，英國政府稱該系統“有改善空間”，約翰遜也說：“我對人們的沮喪感同身受，我們需要改善。”
March 19, 2020 - We can 'turn the tide' in 12 weeks
2020年5月19日——我們可以在12周內“扭轉局勢”
What Johnson said: "We can turn the tide within the next 12 weeks and I'm absolutely confident that we can send coronavirus packing in this country but only if we take the steps — we all take the steps — that we have outlined." He also added that he couldn't say whether the country would be on a downward slope by the end of June: "But what I can say is that this is going to be finite, we will turn the tide, and I can see how to do it within the next 12 weeks."
約翰遜說：“我們可以在12周內扭轉局勢，只要我們大家都遵照規定，我完全有信心將病毒從英國趕走。” 他還補充說雖然不能確定6月底前英國的新增曲線能否調頭向下，“但我可以保證不會太久，我們就能扭轉局勢，我知道如何在12周內實現它。”
What happened next: Four days later, on March 23, Boris Johnson told the country that people "must" stay at home and certain businesses must close as he imposed the most stringent restrictions seen in Britain since the end of World War II. By that time, 335 people had died from Covid-19 in the UK.
但實際上：4天后的3月23日，約翰遜在實施二戰以來英國最嚴格的限制措施後，告訴人民“必須”留在室內，一些商業活動也需要停止。當時，英國已有335人死於新冠疫情。
According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, by mid-June, 12 weeks after Mr Johnson's comments on turning the tide, the UK recorded approximately the same number of confirmed cases it did in March, although these had diminished by 20-25% from peaks seen in April.
而據約翰霍普金斯大學資料顯示，到了約翰遜先生承諾12個星期之後扭轉局勢的6月中旬時，英國每日新增病例和3月時幾乎相同，雖然較4月的高峰期減少了20-25%。