The Unprecedented Vulnerabilities for At-Risk Groups in 2020

By Priscilla Garces | April 24, 2020, 3:47 pm | in Columnist, News

Democratic Party activist Priscilla Garces and her mother of Newark were in attendance at Pelosi's speech.

HISTORICAL SOCIAL IMPACT OF PANDEMICS

Throughout history, countries around the world have faced trying times when dealing with the complexities of numerous global pandemics like the 1918 flu which killed about 675,000 Americans and about 15 million people worldwide. During these historic global pandemics, many people were not fortunate enough to receive medical treatment or protection due to the lack of availability of medications, nutrition, education, medical research and other factors. Global pandemics are known to cause major disruptions to all aspects of livelihood including our routines, our social well-being, the economy, health, education, and access to many other important resources. While most of us have not experienced the unsurmountable difficulties brought on by the deadly flu virus that shattered many families, through the agonizing thought of facing death or grieving the loss of loved ones, or even hearing the constant sound of church bells announcing the demise of people stricken by Influenza, many families including mine now face the reality 102 years later, but with some notable differences.

Today, we face the threat of Coronavirus, a new disease that originated at a wet market in the City of Wuhan, Hubei Province in China in December 2019, now referred as the Corona Virus Disease 2019 or COVID-19. Since the discovery of the first case, it has been rapidly spreading worldwide. (https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2020/03/18/frequently-asked-questions-about-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/) According to the current data from various sources, there are more than 2 million cases worldwide and is exponentially rising every day. As of Now in the United States alone, there are more than 717,825 confirmed cases of COVID-19, more than 34,022 deaths and about 55,099 recoveries, with states like New York, New Jersey, Washington and California being hit the hardest. (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html) It is now proven that COVID-19 can easily be transmitted by way of viral droplets projected through coughing, sneezing, touching infected objects and surfaces, and even by breathing or talking. It is said that a person who is infected by this virus can infect 2-3 more people forming a cluster of infection known as community spread. Notable signs of this novel Coronavirus primarily include, fever, dry cough and shortness of breath that can gradually get worse leading up to Pneumonia and/or organ failure depending on the individual’s overall health and immune system. Other symptoms can also include, loss of the sense of smell and/or taste, and occasionally Gastrointestinal problems. Because research is ongoing, there is currently no proven treatment or vaccine resulting in the provision of supportive care and preventative actions to slow the spread using contingency strategies.

THE CHALLENGES OF SOCIAL DISTANCE AMONG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND OTHER AT-RISK POPULATIONS

Some preventative containment measures include the practice of social distancing, which is defined as the creation of boundaries, barring any form of direct contact. To achieve this, people must maintain a distance of at least 6 feet apart to minimize possible contagion. This method is said to lessen the spread by allowing viral airborne droplets to land on the ground before reaching another person. Social distancing creates an impact in the way we communicate because close contact is a vital part of normal interaction whether it involves handshakes, hugs, and/or other nonverbal forms of communication. This measure has led to the cancelation of mass-gatherings, the closing of businesses, schools, restaurants, and other public and private establishments. Because of the complex challenges associated with this measure, local, federal and national executive orders of mandatory quarantines are put in place ordering residents to remain at home to flatten the curve. This measure has created a new set of challenges from the prominence of the digital divide in some communities to the disproportionate impact on the provision of assistance to individuals with significant disabilities like myself, and oftentimes, the elderly population. This practice has radically changed the way we live, learn, work and interact. Unlike other previously encountered epidemics in our history, we now have much more effective communication and collaboration tools by way of significant advancements in technology.

While social distance is an effective and proven strategy used in flattening the curve of contagion, additional challenges are often present, especially for the disabled population in several ways. Some additional challenges that are often overlooked when implementing these executive orders and social distance policies involve the lack of available access to digital collaboration, education, and communication platforms that accommodate the use of assistive technology like Jaws for Windows, Voiceover, and other adaptive aids, access to alternate modes of transportation for nondrivers, lack of adequate training for first-responders on handling health emergencies in the case of individuals with special needs and limited access to vital forms of physical assistance, significantly compromising the care of those with more severe physical impairments. Lack of accessibility of technology platforms create a digital divide among students, professionals, and other at-risk groups with and without disabilities. People with visual impairments and their families present additional risks of contracting COVID-19 because of the ongoing exposure to contaminated objects like white canes and surfaces when touched and the frequency of the use of sighted guides to navigate unfamiliar environments. For this reason, it is vital for those assisting with the care of disabled populations to practice alternate techniques that minimize spread such as using disposable tissues in place of their elbows when coughing or sneezing.

People with physical and/or mental disabilities face additional risks of suffering from COVID-19 because of the lack of accessible information, increased incidences of anxiety and depression associated with helplessness and isolation caused by limitations to other forms of assistance, lack of preparedness and communication alternatives when handling cases of sick patients with significant disabilities in healthcare settings, at home and other factors. The impact of social distance can take a toll on the mental well-being, especially when combined with the inaccessibility of resources like technology, lack of family support, significant communication barriers, limited access to essential information like mandatory executive orders issued by government officials, limited transportation alternatives and limited access to assistance when living alone. Even though tools like white canes or guide dogs are said to already be effective in maintaining social distance, many live with extra burdens caused by restrictive measures that limit the sense of touch due to the exponential likelihood of exposure to COVID-19 .

SOCIAL DISTANCE IN DARKNESS

According to the National Federation of the Blind, about 7 million Americans live with various degrees of visual impairments. After nearly one month in quarantine the risk of exposure to COVID-19 intensifies because of simple tasks in visually impaired people’s lives. Fortunately, some have a family to assist with certain tasks like online shopping, and other types of assistance when necessary. However, blind and visually impaired people live alone and rely on various resources to accomplish their daily activities. In this emergency, many services are being affected like transportation. Many rely on either public transit systems, ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft, and/or friends and family to take them to various places for shopping, doctor’s appointments, and other tasks. Due to the rapidly increasing number of infections from COVID-19, many who rely on ridesharing and public transit have a greater risk of exposure of infection. As a visually impaired person, I rely on my sense of touch to accomplish my daily activities like reading braille when available and to identify different objects. Using my hands to explore is equal to the use of my eyes to see. With the increased probability of transmission of the Corona virus, the World Health Organization has advised us to wear protective gear like masks and gloves when in contact with other people in public places or when being sick. Because the sense of touch is vital for accessing information, protective equipment like gloves can create an added barrier for people with visual impairments dependent on the level of sensation in their extremities. For instance, people with diabetes or other conditions that cause nerve damage are unable to read braille or properly identify objects while using personal protective equipment like gloves. Most importantly, people with disabilities including visual impairments are significantly affected in terms of their independence due to the strict measures that constitute social distancing.

Recently, I participated in a conference call where multiple panelist discussed policies related to crisis response and the measurable impact in the lives of people with disabilities. One of the most important topics of discussion involved making tough decisions involving life support for critically ill patients with COVID-19. The decision of whether to continue with life support is based on guidelines established by medical staff based on age, health condition, quality of life and other determining variables. According to recent reports, it is said that some states are formulating plans to ration life support that exclude people with disabilities based on severity causing many families to struggle with the stresses associated with end-of-life decisions when faced with critical illness during crisis. On that note, policies should be more inclusive and account for the unique needs of people with disabilities and other high risk groups.

CONCLUSION

In brief, our world has been and continues to be vulnerable with the emergence of diseases that threaten our lives, our public health, our economy, and overall wellbeing. Currently we are facing the global pandemic of COVID-19 also known as SARSCOV2, a respiratory disease caused by the Corona virus that infects the airways. Symptoms of COVID-19 include: Fever, continuous dry cough, shortness of breath, loss of smell and taste, and sometimes gastrointestinal problems. According to research, it has been reported that red eyes can also be an indicator of early onset of COVID-19, found in the first cases of patients infected in a nursing home in Washington State. (https://nypost.com/2020/03/24/red-eyes-may-be-telltale-symptom-of-coronavirus-nurse/) Because COVID-19 is a highly communicable disease, strict social distancing measures have been adopted throughout many different countries across the world to flatten the curve of contagion. According to current data, it is estimated that more than 200,000 people will likely die from COVID-19 in the United States.

Social distancing is an effective measure that is used to contain the spread of communicable diseases. It is defined as the creation of boundaries that minimize social contact. This contingency strategy is to protect vulnerable population groups like the elderly, immunocompromised patients, and our overall communities. While effective, social distancing practices present many unique challenges for the disabled community. The barriers affecting the disable community include limited access to transportation alternatives, limited access to personal assistance for those with significant physical disabilities, accessibility to online education, communication barriers during emergency intervention and access to vital information such as government-issued guidelines. People with disabilities are also at higher risk of suffering mental health consequences due to various limitations created by these contingency measures which include depression, helplessness, post stress traumatic disorder (PTSD) and many other stresses. This suggests that policies with focus on implementing contingency measures for global pandemics like COVID-19 should be more inclusive in all aspects including vital assistance in situations requiring emergency healthcare response.

Priscilla Garces is a leader from Newark.

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