Visually impaired people in Japan with coronavirus did not get enough support during the fifth wave, group for the blind says

By Barrier Free Japan with extracts translated from NHK

November 1 2021

TOKYO – During the fifth wave of the new coronavirus, people with visual impairments did not receive enough support, NHK reports.

According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, there are about 330,000 people nationwide in Japan whom are registered as people with visual impairments.

According to the Japan Association of Visually Impaired Persons, the new coronavirus has been effecting the visually impaired one after another since last year, and multiple infections were confirmed in the fifth wave of this summer when the infection spread rapidly.

According to the group alliance, visually impaired people often find it difficult to prevent infection because they get information by touching things and are guided by the elbows of supporters when they go out.

Even when taking care of yourself at home, you can measure the oxygen level in the blood with a pulse oximeter and observe your health, but it may be difficult to understand the symptoms because you cannot see your own measurement value.

Especially in the 5th wave when health centers and medical institutions were tight, there were some people who could not get enough support, so it is an issue to establish a support system.