The coronavirus has had a pretty big impact on our daily lives. This is also true fort he services we perform at Moshi Moshi. Meetings take place online more often and we have to adhere to extra safety measures. We completely understand and support this, but it does mean a change in our usual method of work. How do we at Moshi Moshi deal with the coronacrisis.

The coronavirus in the Netherlands
The coronavirus has caused a lot of agitation around the world. Aside from the victims, society is dealing with a big change. The Dutch government has issued safety measures and restrictions in order to slow down the spread of the virus. This way, we can protect the vulnerable members of our society. The most important measures are:

⦁ Work from home as much as possible
⦁ Keep 1,5 meters between you and other people
⦁ Wash your hands regularly
⦁ Use paper tissues and throw them out after single use
⦁ Cough and sneeze in your elbow
⦁ Stay home if you feel ill and get tested

These rules have impacted the way many people perform their jobs. As translators and interpreters, we also find these consequences. Of course, we are happy to adhere tot he rules, because we want to contribute to flattening the curve. In order to be able to perform our services as well as possible, we provide some tips for clients and other interpreters in this blog.

Online resources for interpreters
Luckily, translation services can be performed at a safe distance. Discussing the details of an assignments works well via a phone call or a video call. The actual translating can be done as usual. Interpreting from a distance is a little more challenging. However, there has been a big boost in safe distanced communication in the past few months.

The market provides several programme that make it possible to interpret from a distance. Examples are Interpretex and Interprefy. These are extensions for videocall software such as Zoom, Webex or Skype. Thanks to these solutions, it is possible to interpret at the same level as usual.

Dealing with safety measures
In order to handle the measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, adequate communication is important. Every company has it’s own interpretation of the rules. There may be employees who are more vulnerable of clients may feel uncomfortable. This should not pose any problems, as long as both interpreter and client are clear about their expectations.

It seems the world might not go back to normal for a while. Until then, everyone is trying to deal with the situation as well as we can. At Moshi Moshi, we stay up to date of every development. When new solutions present themselves, we will update this blog. Stay posted for more advice and tips in this difficult time.