Coronavirus Stops, Starts Test Europeans’ Patience

A short video making fun of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's guidance about the new coronavirus has become popular on social media.

The video shows actor Matt Lucas. "So we are saying don't go to work, go to work, don't take public transport, go to work, don't go to work," he says. Lucas is one of the country's best-known humorists and famous for the BBC television series Little Britain.

For his fans, Lucas's video perfectly¹ described the growing frustration² many British people, especially young people, are feeling.

Early in July, the government advised use of "travel corridors" to visit Europe. The idea was to let vacationers travel in Europe without the need to quarantine for 14 days when they returned home. Thousands of people took this advice. And thousands more bought trips only to have the government quickly restart quarantine rules for people traveling from Spain, Luxembourg, Belgium and Andorra. France is likely to be added to that list.

The sudden changes have caused anger and led lawmakers to worry about the lack of a consistent³ message.

Yvonne Fovargue is a Labour Party lawmaker. She told VOA that there seems to be a lack of clear information about how the government makes its list of safe countries.

Growing frustration

British people are not alone in losing patience. Frustration is growing across Europe. Governments have had a hard time making clear decisions as they struggle to slow coronavirus infections. This is not helping⁴ efforts to persuade citizens to stay careful or to accept on-and-off restrictions⁵ as virus infections increase.

Jeremy Warner is an economics⁶ commentator⁷ for Britain's Independent newspaper. He told VOA there is no consistency⁸ in the government's approach. He also said there seems to be no end to the economic damage from anti-virus measures.

Critics admit that dealing⁹ with a little-understood virus is not an easy job. But the stops and starts risk damaging public support for some countries' governments, experts and public health officials say.

Disagreements

Part of the problem is that scientists and politicians disagree. They share a common enemy: the virus. But government leaders have to consider how to limit the damage to jobs, businesses and people's livelihoods¹⁰.

Janet Daley is a writer for the Daily Telegraph, a newspaper that often supports Johnson's government. She told VOA that there has not been "agreement between all members of the government [and its official policy advisers¹²]." She added that ministers have promised too much in order to make the public feel hopeful.

Britain's health minister, Matt Hancock, has been blamed for unrealistic claims. In April, he announced an app that follows the contacts of people who may have the coronavirus. He said it would be ready in England by mid-May. But it is still not working. He also said antibody tests would mean real progress, but that has not proven true.

Johnson, too, has disappointed some. He said he would set up a "world-class" testing and contact tracing system. But so far it has not worked as well as Germany's. Several local officials in England have started their own systems.

Politics and science

Last month, the British leader eased restrictions, including the reopening of pubs. He promised "We'll be back to normal by Christmas."

That earned disapproval¹³ from current and former scientific advisers to the government. Current chief scientific adviser¹¹ Patrick Vallance told a parliamentary committee that strong restrictions on movement might be needed as the winter months near.

This month the British government has ordered people to stay at home in some cities, affecting more than four million people.

Problems around Europe

Johnson is not alone among European leaders in trying to balance his comments. Too much hopefulness and people stop following the rules. Too much hopelessness and it is hard to persuade people to go back to work or spend money.

The governments of Italy, France and Greece have warned of possible new restrictions as the number of infections rises again in parts of Europe.

For example, French Prime Minister Jean Castex at first said that there was no chance that restrictions on movement would be ordered a second time. But days later, Castex warned that people would be ordered to stay at home if they do not keep away from each other to limit spread of the virus

Recently, new infections have been reported in several cities popular with vacationers, including Paris.

The increase in cases throughout Europe is partly blamed on poor decision-making by young people. Most of the rise is among people in their twenties and thirties. Many are suspected of becoming infected at beach gatherings¹⁴ and parties.

I'm Alice Bryant.

Words in This Story

frustration –n. being upset because you cannot do something or are given conflicting instructions

corridor –n. a narrow area of land that is known for something special or specific

quarantine –v. to cause someone to be kept away from others in an effort to prevent the spread of disease

consistent –adj. acting¹⁵ in the same way all the time

approach –n. a way of doing things

app (application) –n. a computer program which often operates on mobile phones and carries out a special job

tracing –n. to follow something to its cause, to find out were someone came from

pub –n. (abbreviation for public house) a business in Britain or Ireland that sells food and alcohol

1 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

2 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

3 consistent   

adj.坚持的，一贯的，一致的，符合的

参考例句：

• He has been a consistent friend to the Chinese people.他是中国人民始终如一的朋友。
• His action is always consistent with his words.他始终言行一致。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

6 economics   

n.经济学，经济情况

参考例句：

• He is studying economics,which subject is very important.他正在学习经济学，该学科是很重要的。
• One can't separate politics from economics.不能把政治与经济割裂开来。

7 commentator   

n.注释者，解说者；实况广播评论员

参考例句：

• He is a good commentator because he can get across the game.他能简单地解说这场比赛，是个好的解说者。
• The commentator made a big mistake during the live broadcast.在直播节目中评论员犯了个大错误。

8 consistency   

n.一贯性，前后一致，稳定性；(液体的)浓度

参考例句：

• Your behaviour lacks consistency.你的行为缺乏一贯性。
• We appreciate the consistency and stability in China and in Chinese politics.我们赞赏中国及其政策的连续性和稳定性。

9 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

10 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

11 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

12 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

13 disapproval   

n.反对，不赞成

参考例句：

• The teacher made an outward show of disapproval.老师表面上表示不同意。
• They shouted their disapproval.他们喊叫表示反对。

14 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

15 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。