{"id":1524,"date":"2020-07-15T14:57:37","date_gmt":"2020-07-15T09:27:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulatus.com\/translation-blog\/?p=1524"},"modified":"2024-12-03T20:00:57","modified_gmt":"2024-12-03T14:30:57","slug":"uniting-against-a-pandemic-translation-services-join-the-world-in-the-fight-against-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulatus.com\/translation-blog\/uniting-against-a-pandemic-translation-services-join-the-world-in-the-fight-against-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Uniting Against a Pandemic: Translation Services Join the World in the Fight Against COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the world continues its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, translation services<\/a> are playing a critical role in helping to disseminate valuable information across the globe. One example of this help is Ulatus offering our services at no cost to COVID-19 researchers, so they can share and distribute their findings in a multitude of languages. Additionally, language services providers (LSPs) are working to ensure they can keep up with the changing demands of the industry as the pandemic continues and after it slows down.<\/p>\n

How COVID-19 Has Affected the Translation Services Industry<\/h2>\n

Like most industries, translation services have experienced many challenges throughout this pandemic, causing LSPs to shift their focus. According to a recent survey<\/a>, 66% of LSPs have experienced a decrease in business as a result of the outbreak. Another survey indicates that smaller LSPs are facing difficult financial times, but only 12% of the companies surveyed planned to lay off employees. Freelancers in the industry are also among the hardest hit.<\/p>\n

Overall, the coronavirus outbreak is anticipated to cause an 8%<\/a> decrease in the languages services market through the end of 2020.<\/p>\n

Translation Services in a Time of Need<\/h2>\n

Whether companies have been impacted or not, the industry is focusing on helping the public during these difficult times. The reality is that the pandemic \u2013 something the entire world is dealing with together \u2013 shines an illuminating light on how much translation services are needed during crises. In fact, reputable COVID information has been translated into more than 500 languages<\/a>, demonstrating the need for multilingual information dissemination. These translation projects have ranged from fact sheets from the World Health Organization (WHO) to more than 400 videos that were translated into at least 150 languages.<\/p>\n

Perhaps even more clear is the need for human translators, instead of organizations relying solely on machine translation. Especially during challenging times, people want accurate information in their native language, so they can understand what is happening; this is a critical role of human translators, who can put context around the communications being distributed.<\/p>\n

A Shift in Translation Needs<\/h2>\n

As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, one of the biggest shifts for the language services industry has been in the types of translations that are needed. As an example, translations for the travel and hospitality<\/a> industry have decreased since such companies are not marketing to customers as much during this time. However, there is a high demand for other types of translations, including:<\/p>\n