Cork man speaks out about the impact of COVID19 on those living with sight loss
A Cork man who is visually impaired says the pandemic has presented a number of challenges for blind people and has robbed them of their sense of touch which they rely on to move around safely.
David Redmond says for those living with sight loss the impact of isolation due to Covid19 was felt dramatically and many were unable to leave their homes due to the risks associated when touching public surfaces such as handrails.
Meanwhile others living with sight loss were unable read signange, or were unaware of queuing systems, while those with guide dogs encountered additional difficulties as guide dogs are not trained to social distance.
It follows an appeal by the National Council for the Blind for public awareness of the unique challenges that COVID19 has presented to over 50,000 people who are blind or vision impaired.
David Redmond is a visually impaired college student here Leeside, he told RedFM News that he has encountered many difficulties since the pandemic hit:
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