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The Tiny Virus That Is Changing Our World
Today is November 19, 2021 and more than 19 months have gone by since the WHO declared the health emergency due to COVID 19 in the world. Few imagined that it would last so long and change our lives so deeply.
Almost two years later we continue to see global daily infections of 607,105 people as of November 18, 2021 and 8,453 daily deaths as of November 17, 2021. The new delta variant originated in India, which is much more contagious, is currently ravaging various countries in the world, including European countries that have decided to respond more forcefully with mandatory vaccination. The most notorious case is Austria which, with its 15,809 new cases of contagion today compared to 218 cases in August 2021, has decided to approve mandatory vaccination for the entire population and a confinement of at least 20 days.
Confinement measures like this one, which have been applied throughout this time for specific periods and in different places at different times, have disrupted the economies of all countries. Flexibility and the ability to adapt have been key elements to be able to continue with activities of all kinds.
The world of international conferences and language interpretation has not been immune to this impact and to the need to swiftly change the way they do things. The near future brings us a marked trend towards continuing to work at home, as many organizations have extended this modality, additionally including travel bans, until at least the end of 2021.
For this reason, the majority of international events will probably continue to take place virtually or hybridly in the following months.
While large hotel conference halls very slowly recover with sparse meetings that combine face-to-face and hybrid conferences tailored to the clients, online interpreting was adopted very early through the use of different digital platforms, some more general such as Zoom and some more specialized like Kudo, Interprefy and others. These technologies and digital tools have been key to continue with daily operations at companies, institutions and governments. The interpreting profession today requires a proficiency in managing these useful instruments that are used today for medical appointments, international conferences, distance courses, international negotiations and others, so it is necessary to get equipped with adequate devices and training.
The demand for remote simultaneous interpreting has increased in certain areas, such as health, including medicine, pharmaceuticals and life sciences. Other sectors also require an interpretation service in everything that refers to maintaining international contact for the transmission of knowledge, coordinating joint work, advancing change agendas, etc.
In the long term, remote international meetings with simultaneous interpretation, facilitated by online technology, have much potential due to the great savings stemming from not having to displace speakers, interpreters and the public on international trips that cost dearly in tickets and accommodation to organizations of all kinds, large and small, governmental or non-governmental, multilateral, or others. Also consider that all of them can now meet much more frequently to discuss their business matters, coordination, training and agreements with preparatory and final meetings and even international summits that finish off a whole cycle of consultative conferences. This means an entire paradigm shift.
Undeniably, online interpreting is the means of facilitating these meetings in the future with digital tools that are already available today.