Lost in Translation
Charities, councils and NGOs have had to step in to translate important information about coronavirus for people whose English is weak. Despite warnings from charities, the government's official public information campaign has failed to create enough material in non-English languages.
The charity Doctors of the World runs an east London clinic for migrants and asylum seekers. In March it told the home affairs select committee about the lack of translated Covid-19 guidance, saying many people "have not been able to access crucial information on how to identify Covid-19 symptoms, how to access NHS services when needed and how to follow public health measures". It has translated NHS Covid-19 leaflets into more than 50 languages and prepared its own multi-language animated Covid-19 films. Other charities and NGOs have stepped in, with local councils also producing language material.
In mid-July, chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance commissioned the Academy of Medical Sciences to look at how to cope with a second Covid-19 peak. It warned of *a significant gap in culturally tailored and appropriate public health information for individuals from BAME populations". NHS Test & Trace boss Dido Harding has since announced changes to the service, including signs in different languages at test sites and more translation services for phone contact tracers. But this is far short of what the Academy of Medical Sciences has demanded. A coalition of NGOs and local councils are writing to health secretary Matt Hancock demanding centrally produced Covid-19 guidance "in languages that reflect England's multilingual communities".
A government spokesperson told the Eye it has translated advice, guidance and support measures into over 25 different languages.
Copyright: Private Eye. N 1527 31st July - 13th Aug 2020, Page 9