Corona threatens the life of the visually impaired “It is difficult to give instructions to guide dogs with a mask”

Written with an extract translated from The Mainichi Shimbun

September 30th 2020

A survey conducted by the Japan Guide Dog Association revealed that the spread of the new coronavirus has also caused problems in the lives of visually impaired people who use guide dogs. The plight of people with disabilities who find it inconvenient to wear a mask or to keep a distance from people has become clear.

From May to June, the association interviewed 262 guide dog users in 31 prefectures by telephone to investigate the effects of the state of emergency. As a result, while taking a social distance (social distance), there were voices such as “It is difficult to ask a clerk for help when shopping” and “It is difficult to get a sense of distance from the people around me”.