WINDSOR, ONT. -- A Windsor-Essex COVID-19 vaccination awareness campaign has developed material with answers to common questions surrounding the shot which is now available in 10 languages.

The public education initiative developed by WEVax was launched in an effort to “urge residents to get vaccinated when they are eligible.”

A two-page flyer designed to offer answers to common questions related to the vaccination process with information surrounding eligibility, clinic locations, and what to expect at the first appointment has been translated into Arabic, Cantonese, French, Italian, Polish, Punjabi, Serbian, Somali, Spanish and Urdu. The 10 languages were identified as the top ten spoken in the region.

“Windsor and Essex County is one of the most diverse regions in Canada. With more than a quarter of the population born outside of this country, it is common for languages other than English and French to be spoken at home,” a news release from WEVax states. “In addition, this community is hosting thousands of international students already feeling the effects of the pandemic and province-wide shutdown. To reach more members of our diverse community, it is essential to meet the linguistic needs in our region to ensure everyone has access to accurate information about the vaccine and how to get vaccinated.”

WEVax offers the latest information on the COVID-19 vaccination on a website through a campaign developed in partnership with the City of Windsor, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, the County of Essex, Windsor Regional Hospital and Erie Shores HealthCare. WEVax worked alongside the Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County (MCC) and the Windsor Essex County Local Immigration Partnership (WE LIP) to develop the multilingual campaign.

“It is widely understood that many individuals will turn to community groups they already have a relationship with to get information,” the release says. “Both MCC and WE LIP have well-established and trusted relationships with these groups and will share the information moving forward through their vast networks.”  

The WEVax website also includes the ReachDeck toolbar which includes text to speech reading and translation of webpages to make content more accessible.

Visitors can access these tools by clicking the ear icon on their device while using the website. There are more than 100 languages available through this tool and the content can also be read out loud.

To learn more about vaccine eligibility and how to book an appointment visit WEVax.ca.