Push for multilingual COVID-19 information

The Southern Poverty Law Center is calling for more state-run agencies to share COVID-19 information with non-English speaking communities.

CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS TAKE UP 10TO 15 PERCENT OF THEIR TOTALBEDS.A CALL FOR THE GOVERNOR TO MAKECOVID-19 INFORMATION MOREACCESSIBLE.DOZENS OF GROUPS SAY THINFORMATION ISN’T READILYAVAILABLE FOR NON-ENGLISHSPEAKING COMMUNITIES.FOX 4’S RACHEL LOYD SHARES WHATEXACTLY ADVOCATES ARE ASKINGFOR.RACHEL?(:27 - :33)(1:11 - 1:18)LLINTRO: THEY’RE CALLING FORGOVERNOR RON DESANTIS TO REQUIRELOCAL AGENCIES TO SHAREINFORMATION TO ALL COMMUNITIESESPECIALLY TO SPANISH ANDCREOLE-SPEAKING AREAS IN THESTATE.KIND OF LIKE WHAT THE DEPARTMENTOF HEALTH IS DOING IN COLLIERCOUNTYSPREADING MOBILEINFORMATION ABOUT COVID-19 INTHREE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.This messaging is going out toareas in East Naples.

It’s goingto the Bayshore area, and it’sgoing to Golden Gate City.It is our mission to protect thehealth of all residents inCollier County.THEY ALSO HAVE A TRUCK GOING TORURAL COLLIER COUNTY ANDIMMOKALEE 7-DAYS A WEEK.BUT VERONICA ROBLETO, ANIMMIGRANT RIGHTS PARALEGAL INGAINESVILLE SAYS THIS IS NOHAPPENING ALL OVER FLORIDA.People not having the updatedinformation affects everyone.ROBLETO ALONG WITH THE SOUTHERNPOVERTY LAW CENTER AND DOZENS OFADVOCACY GROUPS WROTE A LETTERTO GOVERNOR RON DESANTISTUESDAY.

SHARING THE STORY OF AFLORIDA FATHER WHO DEVELOPED AFEVER AND COUGH, BUT DIDN’T KNOWWHAT TO DO.THE LETTER SAYS LACK OFINFORMATION VIOLATES SECTION SIXOF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT.SHE APPLAUDED THE COALITION OFIMMOKALEE WORKERS FOR HANDINGOUT RESOURCES TOSPANISH-SPEAKING COMMUNITIES.BUT SAYS.This should not be theresponsibility of thesecommunity organizations to getthis basic information out.

Thisshould be something thegovernment is prioritizing.SHE SAYS THEY’RE ASKING GOVERNORDESANTIS TO HAVE A SPANISHTRANSLATOR OR A SPANISH DESANTISTO HAVE A SPANISH TRANSLATOR ORCLOSED CAPTIONING FOR SPANISHAND CREOLE SPEAKERS FOR HISNEARLY DAILY BRIEFINGS.AND FORTHE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TOOUTLINE WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO FORTESTING ON THEIR WEBSITES.Without that information beingout there, it could really hava huge impact, not only on thosenon-English speakers, but oneveryone in the state.AND IF YOU OWN A BUSINESS ORANOTHER PLACE WHERE PEOPLEVISIT.

YOU CAN EDUCATE PEOPLEWHO DON’T SPEAK ENGLISH