Coronavirus Information for People with Disabilities

The coronavirus (COVID-19) has been in the news a lot lately. The most commonly listed symptoms of this respiratory illness are a fever, coughing, and difficulty breathing. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one group of people who are at high risk of contracting the coronavirus is people with disabilities.

There are ways you can lower your risk. You should wash your hands with water and soap for at least 20 seconds on a regular basis. This should be done especially after going to the bathroom and blowing your nose, sneezing, or coughing into a tissue, which should be disposed of after use. (If it's too difficult for you to wash your hands at a sink due to a physical disability, you can use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.) You should also clean assistive products (e.g., wheelchairs and canes) and commonly touched surfaces. To prevent the coronavirus from entering your body, don't touch your mouth, nose, and eyes. When you're in a room with other people, stay six feet away from them. If you need assistance with activities of daily living, you need to have a back-up plan for your care in case your caregiver gets sick.

To learn more about the coronavirus as it pertains to people with disabilities, read the article located at https://news.yahoo.com/the-coronavirus-and-people-with-disabilities-214936915.html. For updated COVID-19 information, go to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html. Be well.

A microscopic view of the coronavirus

(image via cdc.gov)