密歇根新闻广播 新冠病毒第二波可能性无法预测

 

Some politicians and businesses are pressuring Governor Gretchen Whitmer to reopen the economy. Republican legislative¹ leaders have a plan to phase in business operations. It’s very difficult to make an informed decision about opening the economy because no one has enough data to know exactly how risky² it could be.

People are still getting sick and people are still dying from COVID-19 in Michigan. So Governor Whitmer says opening the economy could be deadly.

“Reopening safely. What does that look like? And how do we make sure that that when we are able to reengage, that we do so in a way that prevents a second spike³? Because I can tell you, as tough as this has been, if we have to come back to this position in a month or two, it will be absolutely devastating,” Whitmer said last week.

Some businesses such as lawn care service operators believe they can operate safely. The Republican phase-in plan would prioritize businesses in areas of the state that they believe could safely open.

But one expert says businesses need to be careful.

“You know, if you're a business person, you want to get back in business because you're losing money every day, but you don't want your employees to die," said Erik Gordon, a professor at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

He adds the pressure being put on politicians is based on people who are losing money, people who are chafing⁴ from government restrictions⁵, and people who don’t fully⁶ understand the risks that come with putting people in close contact again.

"Politicians are used to being criticized no matter what they do. You might as well be criticized for doing the right thing. I think there should just be some level headed common sense thinking, less rhetoric⁷, more thought,” Gordon said.

He adds that thought should be based on science. And science indicates a second spike, a second wave of infection is a real possibility if businesses open without social distancing and protection from infection.

Kristen Jackson owns two Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea franchises⁸. She’s not open to the public, but she is operating. People are donating food and drinks from her stores to health care workers and grocery store employees. They order ahead and pick up without coming into contact with Jackson’s employees.

But she is thinking about the day when the economy opens back up. She’s installing plexiglass shields at the counter. She’s removing some tables so there’s more space between customers. And she’s making sure she has masks and gloves for her staff.

"I know it's not 100 percent effective, but at least it's something. But we would still take measures to be able to operate and let people in the stores, but be very, very cautious because it's not like it's just going to go away after May 1st or whatever," she said.

The face-to-face contact will still be a risk and she wishes there were more ways to protect everyone.

“I mean, it would be nice if we had some sort of fund to be able to provide maybe the public with masks and gloves and hand sanitizer as they come into our establishment. And then dispose of them on the way out. But you know, we don't have the funds for that,” Jackson said.

Dr. Nigel Paneth is a Professor of Epidemiology at Michigan State University. He says before you consider opening up the economy, you need to better understand COVID-19. What’s missing is testing. He says not nearly enough testing has been done to determine how this pandemic might course through the population. That means opening the economy is gambling⁹ with lives.

“If before testing, we open up too quickly, we could see a resurgence¹⁰ of cases and deaths,” he explained.

Paneth says he understands that the financial pressures are serious.

“If you said, look, the economy cannot sustain itself. We can't wait until we can test. Then, of course, you have to take as many precautions as you possibly can: masking, distancing, gloving, all the things that people are now doing are transferred to the businesses,” he said.

Even then, everyone has to understand there could be a terrible price until enough immunity¹¹ is established in the population or a vaccine¹² is discovered.

1 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

2 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

3 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

4 chafing   

n.皮肤发炎v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的现在分词 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒

参考例句：

• My shorts were chafing my thighs. 我的短裤把大腿磨得生疼。 来自辞典例句
• We made coffee in a chafing dish. 我们用暖锅烧咖啡。 来自辞典例句

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 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

8 franchises   

n.（尤指选举议员的）选举权( franchise的名词复数 )；参政权；获特许权的商业机构（或服务）；（公司授予的）特许经销权v.给…以特许权，出售特许权( franchise的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• TV franchises will be auctioned to the highest bidder. 电视特许经营权将拍卖给出价最高的投标人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ford dealerships operated as independent franchises. 福特汽车公司的代销商都是独立的联营商。 来自辞典例句

9 gambling   

n.赌博；投机

参考例句：

• They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
• The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。

10 resurgence   

n.再起，复活，再现

参考例句：

• A resurgence of his grief swept over Nim.悲痛又涌上了尼姆的心头。
• Police say drugs traffickers are behind the resurgence of violence.警方说毒贩是暴力活动重新抬头的罪魁祸首。

11 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

12 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。