Q+A
COVID-19 poses unique challenges for people with disabilities
Americans with disabilities are largely left out of the U.S. coronavirus response despite being uniquely affected by the disease, says Johns Hopkins epidemiologist and ophthalmologist Bonnielin Swenor
By
Hub staff report
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Published
April 23, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many aspects of our daily lives, but its impacts are especially acute for people living with disabilities, who may struggle with challenges like finding reliable and safe in-home care or physically adapting to enhanced hand-washing guidance.
But the coronavirus outbreak has also created opportunities for more equitable inclusion after the pandemic ends, says Bonnielin Swenor, an associate professor of epidemiology and ophthalmology at the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute and the Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The Hub spoke with Swenor, who studies the public health impacts of vision loss and disabilities, to learn more about how COVID-19 is impacting that community and how we can make sure its needs aren’t ignored or overlooked. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
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