经济学人下载:从政治角度看疫情(3)

Universal systems like Britain’s National Health Service should find it easier to mobilise resources and adapt rules and practices than fragmented, private ones that have to worry about who pays whom and who is liable for what. The United States, despite its wealth and the excellence of its medical science, faces hurdles. Its private system is optimised for fee-paying treatments. America’s 28m uninsured people, 11m illegal immigrants and an unknown number without sick pay all have reasons to avoid testing or isolation. Red tape and cuts have fatally delayed adequate testing.
像英国国家医疗服务体系这样的中央体系应该会发现，与那些不得不担心谁给谁钱、谁对什么负责的支离破碎的私有体系相比，它们更容易调动资源、调整规则和实践。美国尽管拥有财富和卓越的医学科学，但面临重重障碍。其私有体系被优化为付费治疗。美国有2800万没有医疗保险的人，1100万非法移民和一个没有病假工资的未知数字，他们都有理由避免检测或隔离。繁文缛节和削减开支严重拖延了充分的检测。

Uncertainty will be a drag on the third factor—trust. Trust gives leaders licence to take difficult decisions about quarantines and social-distancing, including school closures. In Iran the government, which has long been unpopular, is widely suspected of covering up deaths and cases. That is one reason rebellious clerics could refuse to shut shrines, even though they spread infection.
不确定性将拖累第三个因素——信任。信任为领导人在隔离和疏远社会(包括关闭学校)方面做出艰难决定保驾护航。在伊朗，长期不受欢迎的政府被广泛怀疑掩盖死亡和案件。这是反叛的神职人员可能拒绝关闭神殿的原因之一，即使它们会传播感染。

Nothing stokes rumour and fear more than the suspicion that politicians are hiding the truth. When they downplay the threat in a misguided attempt to avoid panic, they end up sowing confusion and costing lives. Yet leaders have struggled to come to terms with the pandemic and how to talk about it. President Donald Trump, in particular, has veered from unfounded optimism to attacking his foes. This week he announced a 30-day ban on most travel from Europe that will do little to slow a disease which is already circulating in America. As people witness the death of friends and relatives, he will find that the pandemic cannot be palmed off as a conspiracy by foreigners, Democrats and cnn.
没有什么比怀疑政客们在掩盖真相更能引发谣言和恐惧了。当他们为了避免恐慌而错误地淡化威胁时，最终会造成混乱并付出生命的代价。然而，各国领导人一直难以接受这种流行病，也不知道如何谈论它。尤其是唐纳德·特朗普总统已经从盲目乐观转向攻击他的反对者。本周，他宣布了一项为期30天的禁令，禁止大部分人从欧洲前往美国，这对减缓已经在美国流行的传染病几乎毫无助益。当人们目睹亲朋好友的死亡时，就会发现这场流行病不能被当成是外国人、民主党人和cnn的阴谋。