Several Joint List members demanded last week that authorities make information more accessible in Arabic; firm in charge says it translates info ‘important’ to Arab public
The Health Ministry has stepped up its efforts to provide updates in Arabic about the novel coronavirus after coming under sharp criticism for largely failing to do so, but it still continues to share greater information in Hebrew.
At the beginning of the virus outbreak in Israel, the ministry dragged its feet in posting information on most of its official platforms in Arabic. For example, even after authorities announced last Monday that everyone returning to Israel from abroad must quarantine themselves for two weeks, the ministry’s website in Arabic continued to feature outdated guidelines, stating that only people returning from a handful of countries needed to do so.
Several lawmakers of the Arab-majority Joint List subsequently reached out to the ministry, demanding that it make vital information more accessible in Arabic. Shortly thereafter, the health ministry responded and updated its guidelines on its Arabic site.
It also hired a public relations firm to manage its media affairs in Arabic, such as communicating with Arabic-language news sites and radio stations.
However, the ministry continues to lack information in Arabic about the movement of those diagnosed.
On its Hebrew Telegram account, the ministry has shared such updates. But on its Arabic Telegram, it has only distributed information for less than a third of those who have contracted the virus.
The CoronApp, a smartphone application affiliated with the ministry, offers more details in Arabic compared to the ministry’s Arabic Telegram. However, it provides less content than in Hebrew.
Dozens of Hebrew posts in the app about places where infected people have visited do not have Arabic translations.
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