Translation Services Are Important in Global Pandemics

Last Updated On: December 14, 2021 by The Migration Translators

Because COVID-19 is a global pandemic, knowledge about it needs to be shared throughout the world. This knowledge must be translated accurately so that global citizens know where they stand. The knowledge that accumulates over time about COVID-19 may have some solutions that need to be conveyed to every corner of the earth so that people can act to prevent themselves from contracting the deadly virus.

Some key information that had to be spread around the world was related to the age groups most affected by the virus. This information was made available when the virus spread into northern Italy which was one of the first of the European countries to be seriously affected. It was soon realized that the virus was wreaking havoc throughout the elderly population, many of whom resided in an extended family home. This information had to be quickly translated and spread throughout the world. It wasn’t just a matter of simply protecting the elderly by telling them to stay at home, but also ensuring that anyone visiting elderly people had to cease their visits or use protective equipment to help stop the spread.

Italy had to spread the word that needed to be translated, warning the world to take action immediately; otherwise, it would be too late. No one government knew what to and because there was a shortage of face masks, their use was advertised as being doubtful. The only other options were implementing social distancing rules which kept people apart.

Once a pandemic was announced by WHO, the virus quickly took hold, and news reports sprouted up around the world. If these reports were mistranslated, then no-one may have understood the severity and spread of the pandemic.

Medical translations key in a pandemic

Medical authorities and healthcare professionals work together throughout the world, so they depend on the accuracy of medical translations which need to be completed by reliable human translators, not online translators that are rarely completely accurate. If the medical professional is unable to communicate well and effectively, progress in handling the pandemic comes to a grinding halt.

Researchers in the medical community is key to finding a vaccine, cure, and treatments so they need to share research findings with each other while nurses and doctors attempt to control COVID -19 and treat patients. When a translator does this sort of translation work s/he must have sufficient experience in the right field and be fluent in both the two languages.

It is not good enough for someone bilingual to complete these types of translations, but they need to be experts in the field too. The medical industry uses its own terminology so when translated into other languages it needs an accurate translation by someone who understands the field. It is not good enough to translate text using online translation tools as these sorts of translation programs only translate word to word. They cannot translate terms precisely as rarely is their just one word that translates easily into another language.

Use a professional human translator for a COVID-19 translation

To be certain that translations are completely accurate professional human translators need to be hired to do the pandemic work. During this COVID-19 global crisis, medical professionals are, without a doubt, unsung heroes who have put in hours and hours of their lives and taken risks to help humanity. But they are not the only ones who are helping the world right now as translators are quickly translating all the key information about the pandemic so that everyone is kept informed.