People wearing protective face masks are seen arriving at Waterloo station, the busiest train station in the UK, during the morning rush hour, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in London, Britain, September 7, 2020. /Reuters
近几日，英国新冠肺炎确诊病例又开始急剧上升。据英国卫生部最新数据，从6日开始，英国已连续两天日增确诊病例近3000例，疫情已反弹至5月下旬时的水平。
英国专家解释，确诊病例之所以大幅增长是因为政府扩大了检测范围，而且住院人数也远低于疫情爆发时的峰值，因此疫情规模可能被高估了，但英国大臣们担心疫情正在开始失控。
当地时间8日，英国卫生大臣马修·汉考克（Matt Hancock）表示，最近英国新增病例的急剧上升令人担忧。同日，世界卫生组织应对新冠病毒英国特别大使大卫·纳巴罗（David Nabarro）也表示，英国第二波疫情正在到来，更为陡峭的感染增长曲线会很快出现。
Screenshot via Daily Mail
《每日邮报》(Daily Mail)9日报道，英国政府8日晚间宣布，为了防控新冠肺炎疫情进一步扩散的风险，决定采取严厉措施，从下周一（9月14日）起，不论室内还是室外，英格兰地区合法社交聚会人数将从目前的30人减至6人。
此外，据英国政府宣布，此规定不适用于学校、工作场所、婚礼、葬礼和有组织的体育活动。违禁者初犯将被罚款100英镑，再犯时罚款金额将加倍，最高可至3200英镑。除此以外，英国政府还发起了一项名为“手、脸、空间”的新公共宣传活动，以此来提醒民众洗手、戴口罩和保持社交距离的重要性。
Screenshot via BBC.com
BBC报道，英国首相鲍里斯·约翰逊（Boris Johnson）8日表示：“我们需要立即采取行动，阻止病毒的传播。” 此外，鲍里斯将在当地时间9日召开七月以来首次疫情发布会，并在会上再次宣布此决定。
Social gatherings of more than six people will be banned from September 14 and fined if they fail to comply – with some exemptions – amid concern at rising infection rates, particularly among young people.
The number of cases in Britain has begun to rise sharply again in recent days. Although testing is more widespread and the number of people in hospital is well below the peak of the outbreak, ministers fear it is beginning to slip out of control.
British government also unveiled a new public information campaign entitled "Hands. Face. Space", to emphasize the importance of handwashing, face coverings and social distancing.
"We need to act now to stop the virus spreading," the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, ahead of a press conference on Wednesday where he will explain the changes.
The previous limit on the number of people who could socialize together was 30.
There were 2,460 new infections reported on Tuesday, 2,948 on Monday and 2,988 on Sunday – a sharp rise from levels of around 1,000 per day in August and attributed to high transmission among young people.
Johnson's office said medical and scientific advisers had agreed that "urgent action is needed," while police had also asked for the rules to be simplified.
The government currently says people must not socialize outside in a group of more than six people from different households, but the law actually puts that limit at 30 in private spaces.
From Monday, this will be reduced to six, except for large families, weddings, funerals, organised team sports, workplaces and educational settings.
新冠肺炎疫情使英国经济遭受巨大冲击，从今年3月底实行数月的封锁后，英国政府不断宣布并更新解封措施，试图尽快推动经济活动复苏，出台政策支持餐饮业复苏。
People drink outside a pub at the Covent Garden shopping and dining district, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Britain, August 2, 2020. Reuters
但反对者们一直表示，这些措施只会加剧新冠病毒感染率，因为年轻人很少遵守遵循政府制定的社交距离指导方针，特别是当他们去酒吧的时候。
因此英国政府为了防控第二波新冠肺炎疫情，首选针对餐饮业尤其是酒吧等场所制定了最新地方性限制措施。
People queue to undertake a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) test at a walk-in test facility in Bolton, Britain, September 7, 2020. /Reuters
由于英国城镇博尔顿的确诊病例数激增，感染率为全英第一，英国政府在9月6日就已宣布将对博尔顿当地采取部分限制性措施，包括要求当地居民不允许与其他家庭进行社交活动、餐饮服务场所只允许做外卖、所有公共场开放时间缩短等。《卫报》（The Guardian）报道，英国卫生大臣汉考克8日宣布，将对博尔顿执行更为严厉的封锁措施。
汉考克表示，通过追踪接触者的数据得知博尔顿确诊数量激增和20岁到30岁的年轻人不遵守 “社交距离” 有关系，他们很容易将新冠病毒传染给那些更脆弱的人-尤其是老年人。
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