Helping blind people to cope with the problems of the virus

Many blind and partially-sighted people say they are struggling to adjust to life as lockdown restrictions are eased. Here Ansley Workman, the director of RNIB Cymru, explains how we can help them during this confusing time...

THE easing of lockdown poses extra challenges for people with sight loss – let’s do our part to help.

Many of us are feeling more than a little anxious about the relaxation of lockdown measures. Our lifestyles are changing dramatically in ways we could never have predicted.

But this is an especially worrying time for our blind and partially-sighted community. When you consider that one in five people aged 75 and over has sight loss and are likely to have a number of health conditions, the current situation we find ourselves in can make life challenging.

Now, as our cities, towns and workplaces open up once again, many blind and partially-sighted people who were previously independent are finding themselves “situationally vulnerable”, as it is now commonly known.

There are a number of reasons for this. Social distancing is near impossible for people with sight loss who find it incredibly difficult to keep two metres away from other people.

Guide dogs are also not trained to do this. We’ve heard awful stories about people being aggressively challenged for not keeping their distance, though they are clearly not at fault.

People with sight loss also often navigate by using touch, which risks spreading the virus and more than half rely on others from outside their household for support when leaving the house, often know as a guide, but is generally a friend or family member. However, if their guide is not a member of their household or “bubble” they cannot risk such close contact.

The impact of social distancing also then leads to challenges such as getting your shopping. Online solutions can also be challenging if you are not technology-savvy.

The other major disadvantage faced by people with sight loss is that information, including crucial public health information, changes to our streets, transport and businesses is more than often not available in accessible formats. If you can’t get up-to-date information, how can you feel confident in your ability to stay safe?

Our recent UK-wide survey revealed that 66% of blind and partially-sighted people feel less independent now than they did before lockdown. Many worry they will feel “more disabled” as restrictions lift.

As we move out of lockdown businesses and councils have introduced new measures to make getting out and about as safe as possible. However, these measures have been made at speed and don’t consider the needs of people with low or no vision.

Take the one-way systems on our streets, in supermarkets and our retailers. These routes are marked by lines and arrows on the floor, which even sighted people sometimes struggle to understand. Navigating these new layouts with sight loss is practically impossible.

Other changes are marked by cone sand temporary signs. Newly pedestrianised streets, shared walking and cycling spaces and outdoor café areas pose fresh obstacles for blind and partially-sighted people who are already struggling with unfamiliar new layouts.

To make matters worse, information about layout changes is not always available in accessible formats.

Public transport also poses an additional challenge. If you can’t see where to sit, where you pay or access information on the changes, would you want to use public transport?

The steps taken to unlock our society must not exclude disabled people and widen the gap of disadvantage even further. But there are plenty of things that can be done to help people with sight loss during this confusing time.

■ 1. The public can help by treating people with kindness and giving blind and partially-sighted people extra space. Not all disabilities are visible, so it’s best to err on the side of caution and keep two metres away from people – especially if they’re wearing social distance identifiers.

■ 2. Local authorities must ensure that our towns and cities are accessible for all by adhering to Welsh Government’s guidance on safer public spaces

■ 3. Local authorities and businesses should ensure that they don’t exclude blind and partially-sighted people.

RNIB and other organisations have developed guidance specifically for employers, supermarkets, businesses and the leisure and hospitality industries.

■ 4. The Welsh Government, local authorities and businesses should provide information in accessible formats.

■ 5. Businesses and local authorities can also use our coronavirus courtesy code to raise public awareness and promote safe social distancing for all pedestrians, road and public transport users.

We’re pleased to work with Welsh Government, local authorities and businesses on practical solutions to reduce the negative impact of coronavirus response measures. But there is so much more work to be done.

A one-size solution doesn’t fit all. It is my hope that we can all work together to build back a safer, more equitable Wales that every citizen can take part in as we enter this new normal.