They have a kind of urgency to their gait. More so than for when they go to get the milk. Yep, it’s those heading for a COVID test. Easy to spot; often complete families who would not otherwise see the light of day together.
他们的步态有一种紧迫感。比他们去拿牛奶时更是如此。是的，就是那些要去接受新冠病毒检测的人。容易发现；往往是完整的家庭，否则他们将无法在一起见到阳光。
As we start to confront the idea that COVID happened 3 years ago, it’s become a kind of “assume the position” situation in China of late. To the degree that we also presume we shall be joining that-dreaded queue at some point every day.
当我们开始面对三年前发生过新冠肺炎的想法时，最近在中国它已经成为一种“就位”的情况。在某种程度上，我们也认为我们每天都会在某个时候加入那个可怕的队列。
In Nanjing, tests were conducted for pretty much everyone for the period from 15-22 October, pretty much coinciding with the 20th National Congress.
在南京，10月15日至22日期间几乎对所有人进行了测试，与第20次全国代表大会几乎同时进行。
Mercifully, we then got a break. But just for a day. And now we are back at it. For some, it is for-sure much longer, but give or take, this is a-half hour of your (productive) day that’s being taken way from you. We won’t dwell on the economics of this here.
幸运的是，我们随后得到了休息。但只是一天。现在我们又回到了正题。对于某些人来说，这肯定要长得多，但不管怎样，这都是你一天（富有成效的）一天中的半个小时。我们不会在这里详细讨论这方面的经济学问题。
But we could talk about the endless businesses shuttered, the look in the eyes of those putting a swab into their thousandth person today. It’s amazing they can still focus.
但我们可以谈论无数倒闭的企业，以及今天对第一千人进行拭子检查的人的眼神。令人惊奇的是他们仍然可以集中注意力。
Still, there is the reality that Nanjing reported 13 locally transmitted asymptomatic carriers and one confirmed case of COVID this Tuesday, 25 October, says China Daily.
尽管如此，据《中国日报》报道，本周二（10 月 25 日）南京报告了 13 名本地传播的无症状携带者和 1 例新冠肺炎确诊病例。
One might say it’s no big deal. Either way, we have to look on the bright side, right?
有人可能会说这没什么大不了的。无论哪种方式，我们都必须看到光明的一面，对吗？
Have a fun look around you to observe the COVID-test-queue etiquette. And some of the patterns that emerge over time.
环顾四周，观察新冠病毒检测排队礼仪。以及随着时间的推移而出现的一些模式。
Recognise that girl putting a swab in your mouth? That’s because she’s been there before. With only so many of them and so many of us foreigners, it’s inevitable that we chance upon each other more than once.
认识那个把棉签放进你嘴里的女孩吗？那是因为她以前去过那里。他们人数如此之多，而我们外国人又如此之多，我们不可避免地会不止一次地相遇。
Then that guy in front of her just hands you his phone and tells you to input the data yourself. Yes, that’s basically down to, “You didn’t tell Facebook your actual birthday, did you?”.
然后她前面的那个人就把手机递给你，让你自己输入数据。是的，这基本上可以归结为“你没有告诉 Facebook 你的实际生日，是吗？”。
Next, a funny one because it dates back to the dawn of COVID. There, I said it, the “dawn of COVID”.
接下来是一个有趣的事情，因为它可以追溯到新冠疫情爆发之初。在那里，我说了“新冠病毒的黎明”。
Yes folks, it’s the “1-metre rule”. We’re taking about those yellow markings, in place and considered once critical when a not particulary-infectious variant of COVID was virulent, but now utterly ignored by all. The lines which have in the most faded into the pavement so as the “1米” is but almost a memory.
是的，伙计们，这就是“一米规则”。我们正在考虑这些黄色标记，这些黄色标记曾经在一种不具有特别传染性的新冠病毒变种具有剧毒时被认为是至关重要的，但现在却被所有人完全忽视了。那些线条大部分已经消失在人行道上，“一米”几乎成了记忆。
Then there are the grannies. And others who feel entitled to their jumping the line:
然后还有奶奶们。还有一些认为自己有权插队的人：
This Correspondent: “Er, this is, like, a queue”.
本报记者：“呃，这就像一个队列”。
Middle-aged Woman: “I’m here to help the old person up ahead”.
中年妇女：“我是来扶前面的老人的”。
This Correspondent: “How they get there so fast?”.
本报记者：“他们怎么这么快就到了？”。
On many levels, a COVID test every 2 days (please) makes a lot of sense. In theory, everyone will therefore have a 48-hour-COVID-negative-test result (that was a long one) within reach at any point. Wanna take the bus, the metro, go to that mall? You’re covered.
在很多层面上，每 2 天进行一次新冠病毒检测（请）很有意义。因此，从理论上讲，每个人在任何时候都可以得到 48 小时的新冠病毒阴性检测结果（这是一个很长的时间）。想坐公交车、地铁、去那个商场吗？你被覆盖了。
Depressing it may be, but at least most freedoms are still afforded us. All we have to do is go through the motions and assume the position.
这可能令人沮丧，但至少我们仍然享有大部分自由。我们所要做的就是走过场并就位。
