NORTHEAST WISCONSIN (WTAQ-WLUK) — Getting an appointment to get the COVID-19 vaccine can be difficult, especially when you don’t understand the language of the people who are communicating with you.
“They don’t even know how to do it because of the language barrier. They don’t know what to do,” interpreter Patricia Bos said.
Bos is an interpreter, as well as a member of the HCC Hispanic Community Council of Northeast Wisconsin.
“Many times, language is a problem because if they tried to contact them or talk to them, it’s not possible if they don’t have an interpreter,” Bos said.
At Casa ALBA Melanie, a Hispanic resource center, they’ve been working to promote the vaccine to the Hispanic community.
“Not only information about access to vaccinations but also the importance of being vaccinated,” Casa ALBA Melanie executive director Melanie Maczka said.
Maczka says while some want the vaccine, others do not.
“There’s a lot of poor information out there. Speaking for the Latino community, I think a lot of times people don’t have easy access to healthcare so while this is being offered they’re not always sure they have the right to it,” Maczka said.
The Hmong American Partnership is seeing much of the same.
“Based on the news that’s been fed to them, a lot of them are resistant to it. They don’t want to do it. We have to do some education so they can accept that it’s better for them, and its better for the community as a whole,” Hmong American Partnership president Kou Vang said.
Casa ALBA volunteer Elizabeth Kostichka has been assisting Hispanics with getting the vaccine.
“We went through the process and we saw that it was a little bit complicated,” Kostichka said.
Casa ALBA has been working with healthcare partners to better serve those that face language barriers.
Maczka says she thinks this is a learning experience for healthcare providers too.
“It’s better to have a person there who can explain things and explain them well,” Maczka said.
Casa ALBA Melanie says they have vaccine clinics scheduled with a healthcare provider geared toward people who do not speak English.
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