The prompt I have chosen to discuss in this essay is to discuss the communication challenges brought about by Covid-19 and propose solutions. The language I will specifically focus on is Punjabi and the challenges its native speakers face in the times of Covid-19. In this essay I will discuss Lingua Franca, its connection with Punjabi, give background information about Punjabi language and culture, discuss pre-existing resources that the minority community can use, ease of access to these resources and I will end by offering benefits. to implement said solutions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get the original essay Lingua Franca is defined in Blum's textbook “Making Sense of Languages” as a method of communication between people of a similar region who originally differ in their native language but need to socialize with each other given the language barrier. In a broad view of communication, English is not the only Lingua Franca available. Lingua Franca can refer to any language used by speakers of any region. In this article, a Lingua Franca is Punjabi. It is not socially effective to rely on a single Lingua Franca like English due to the diversity of languages ​​available. This is an issue that public health officials need to be aware of given the spread of COVID and critical resources; verbal and written. This is important for public health guidelines because the message calls for it due to the speed with which information is provided regarding the disease and the preventive measures taken. According to the Fresno Bee article, “A Fresno family has contracted the coronavirus. Advocates say language accessibility could have prevented it” April 2020 author Brianna Calix notes that due to lack of proper access to information about COVID symptoms and warnings in Punjabi, resident from Fresno without hesitation transmitted the virus to the rest of the family. This could have been stopped if appropriate resources such as translations and signage regarding quarantine had been in place. This is an example of why it is important for public health guidelines to take minority languages ​​and other Lingua Francas into account. Taking into consideration various Lingua Francas such as Punjabi can help save lives and resources. Punjabi is a minority language spoken by many people in the Central Valley region. Historically, Punjabi has different dialects and variations in the way it is spoken. Punjabi has its origins in the land of Five Rivers, as native speakers say. Referring to its origins in the text "Punjabi: A Cognitive-descriptive Grammar" by Tej Bhatia, the author states that the reason for its different dialects and rich history lies in the five rivers that flow through India and the Pakistan since the partition of 1945. So, going from Bhatia and doing independent research, depending on which side of the river you were on, the dialect and tone varied. On the Indian side of the border, native speakers may have a different dialect than Pakistani Punjabis. This also had an impact on its culture and migratory routes. When assessing the indigenous Punjabi-speaking population in California, in the text "The Rural Punjabis of California: A Religious and Ethnic Group" by Wenzel, although there is no exact number of Punjabis in this State, weestimates that more than 6,000 live in California. as early as the 1960s. When it comes to Punjabi culture in California, there is a lot to offer and discover. For Central Valley Punjabis, the most important religion followed is Sikhism, where the place of worship is called Gurudwara according to “Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs in the new Religious Landscape of England” by Ceri Peach and Richard Gale. This place of worship is also used as an entertainment and resource center for many members of the community. Culturally speaking, Punjabis are community-oriented and many of them volunteer, as Peach and Gale explain. There is a notable overlap between Punjabi culture and Gurudwara institutions. As it will be discussed how the community obtains most of its medical information. Although native Punjabi people may seem few in number, it is important to ensure that resources and information about Covid reach all its speakers. In the following paragraph, I will explain why it is important to build trust and connections with Punjabi speakers in our region as it relates to COVID. The opinions expressed in the article by Piller et al. and the reason minority languages ​​are lacking when it comes to COVID resources is the availability of information in said language. The article cited reasons such as an English-centric healthcare system, lack of translation of crisis messages into minority languages, and lack of a plan to develop a solution with a framework. Their ideas may be useful in California for Covid due to the diversity of languages ​​and the amount of help available for said minority populations. There are programs that work on all the points presented in the article but are lacking in one area or another. In the case of native Punjabi speakers, people are simply unaware of the available resources and need help from educated people. With the use of educated people and the help of pre-existing resources such as community centers and websites, information can be disseminated quickly and effectively, as the article states. Educated people with knowledge about COVID can be beneficial as they would know how to integrate the culture of the community by providing the resources needed to disseminate information. Useful resources such as the Jakara movement and translation services are already in place for Punjabis, a point which will be discussed further below. When analyzing a public health website, the Fresno County Public Health Department's COVID 19 website, I found that there were a variety of translations and languages ​​available. In the Languages ​​tab in the upper right corner, Punjabi is on the list to translate information to. Information regarding mask regulations, social distancing, surface disinfection, isolation and receiving vaccines is all available in Punjabi but is not correct in translations. Some information, for example mask regulations, may not be translated correctly and native speakers may be confused and misinformed. The three key ideas I will focus on are the importance of mask wearing, explaining social distancing, and locating vaccination centers. The two solutions that I have researched to be effective in disseminating crucial knowledge to the Punjabi community are: implementing Punjabi translators in all facilities and establishing an information center at the Gurudwaras (temple) . As has been noted..