During COVID-19, if you need to go to the hospital, make sure you bring some communication tools with you. More information: NAD.org/Coronavirus.
Original video credit: Deaf Health Communication and Quality of Life Center and Gallaudet University. #CoronavirusInASL

[TRANSCRIPT & DESC: A freeze frame of the signer signing Coronavirus in black and white. White bold text “COVID-19” and light white text “communication tools to bring with you when you need to go to the hospital” floats in.

SIGNER: You have the right to decide your care. This means you will need to bring a few things to the hospital, including communication tools. Print out a page saying you are deaf or hard of hearing and need hospital staff to communicate with you differently. If you have a smartphone, you need to bring this with you. Before you go to the hospital, download several VRI apps and/or speech-to-text apps. Some of those apps are free. Before you go to the hospital, you need to first test the apps to be sure they work well. Keep in mind that some hospitals may not have WIFI. You may have to use your smartphone using your cellular connection. When you get to the hospital, ask hospital staff to let you use their WiFi. If you go to a hospital room, make sure that room is an area with strong WiFi. Tell hospital staff to communicate with you through your smartphone with VRI or speech-to-text apps. If you do not have a smartphone, bring papers or white board or ask hospital staff to bring papers or white board to write on.

Clip ends with a white background with Deaf Health Communication and Quality of Life Center and NAD’s logos with a copyright in black text “2020 All Rights Reserved”]