Dear Remote Interpreter,
As I am sure you have heard by now, the Covid-19 crisis has reached a new critical phase in which public health systems need to act decisively to contain the growth of this virus. The fast-spreading Coronavirus, which has infected more than 8,200 people across the world, has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization.
As a remote interpreter, your job is more important now than ever in providing the best and most accurate care plan for the rapidly-growing coronavirus-stricken population worldwide.
To all interpreters-now more than ever, healthcare agencies and organizations will be in high demand for remote language services due to the worldwide spread of the Coronavirus.
At Boostlingo, we encourage you to get ready and prepare for a sharp increase in demand as it may well happen at a faster pace than we may anticipate
To better help you prepare, we’ve come up with a few things you can do to stay safe as a healthcare interpreter and to help prepare for increased remote interpreting demand.
Be Accessible – Ensure that you are communicating with your respective Language Service Provider about the trends and demands in your language pair. In dire times like these, it’s important to remember that you are part of a team, even if you are working remotely or from a home office. Communicate with your LSP and get as much information on how and when to be available for remote assignments. Language trends will be sent to each LSC on a regular basis to keep everyone informed and ready to respond. It’s important that Limited English Proficient patients who think they may have symptoms or who already have the virus know they have access to video remote interpreting without having to go into the hospital. The method of VRI will help prevent spreading the virus.
Get Ready for More Video Remote Assignments – To help prevent spreading the virus, it’s best to recommend sticking to video remote interpreting when treating patients, and now more than ever, the demand for remote language services will increase. As in-person interpreting will become more dangerous, you should prepare yourself to take more VRI assignments. Invest in a good camera, a proper and neutral background, and dust off all of your professional attire.
Inform Yourself about the Virus – It’s important as healthcare interpreters that you always stay up-to-date on the latest medical terminology and trends, so please do so when it comes to Coronavirus. Here are some free courses you can use to get ready for the inevitable rise in remote, medical sessions: Free Online Course Coronavirus,
Infection Control Safety for Medical Interpreters
Collaborate with Fellow Remote Interpreters – During a crisis, it’s easy to let mass-hysteria take over your ability to function efficiently. As the demand increases for remote work, tell your friends about Boostlingo so we can all work together to provide the best, and quickest remote language services to those in need. Direct them to our registration page and let them know demand is on the rise: https://boostlingo.com/interpreters/
Prepare Yourself for Emergent Cases – Due to the effect the Coronavirus is having on people, it’s important for interpreters to be trained in case of a 911 emergency when speaking to their patients. Check out this resource for more info: Interpreters in 911 Situations
On behalf of the entire Boostlingo Team, we want to say thank you for supporting our clients in this time of need. We depend on your services and want you to know how much we value you and your skills. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.
Best wishes and Stay safe,
The Boostlingo Team
