COVID: language barriers continue to put multicultural groups at risk

The Victorian Government has tripled the fines for people found to be breaching the lockdown rules.

So why isn’t everyone getting the stay-at-home message?

Australia’s peak multicultural body fears that adequate support isn’t being given to non-English-speaking residents in high-risk coronavirus suburbs – threatening their health and the health of everyone in their communities.

One program in Melbourne is trying to turn that around, by calling residents in public housing and giving health advice in their first language.

Featured:
Mohamed Yusuf, resident, Canning Street housing development.
Dr Adele Murdolo, executive director, Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health
Qia Sun, billingual health educator
Mohammad al-Khafaji, chief executive officer, Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia

Producer: Max Chalmers