(Woodbrige, VA) – Today, in response to alarming reports of incorrect Spanish language translations on the Virginia Department of Health’s COVID-19 vaccination website, Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy is announcing proposals to ensure stronger communication with the Latinx community about COVID-19. As governor, Carroll Foy will:
- Create a list of approved, certified native-speaking translation vendors who come from the communities they serve and require all translated public notices to use those services.
- Fund bilingual, in-house employees from immigrant communities in state agencies.
- Prioritize vaccine distribution in the hardest-hit communities and dedicate resources for outreach including text programs and bilingual radio ads to meet community members where they are.
- Ensure that not only public health information is correctly translated, but also that labor, workers compensation, and harassment rights are translated correctly and proactively communicated, especially to workers in the domestic care, home healthcare, and construction workforces.
“The Latinx community cannot be left behind as Virginia responds to COVID-19. As governor, I pledge to ensure that Spanish speaking communities have robust resources to stay safe from COVID-19 and have access to proper, accurate information to protect themselves and their families. Anything less is unacceptable,” said Carroll Foy.
Latinx communities are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. As of July, Latinx persons made up nearly half of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Virginia, a rate more than three times their share of the population. The percentages are even higher in certain areas, such as Fairfax County, which reported a majority of confirmed cases.
Jennifer Carroll Foy has dedicated her life to service. As one of the first women to graduate from Virginia Military Institute, a former foster mom, a magistrate judge, and public defender, Jennifer has embodied the ideals of community, honor and commitment in every facet of her life. During her time in the legislature, Jennifer led the way on the Equal Rights Amendment, proudly supported the successful fight to expand Medicaid to over 500,000 Virginians, and passed a budget that includes a 3% salary increase for teachers. She is a proud mother to twin three year olds, and wife to her husband Jeff, who she met her first week at VMI.
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