Accessibility in the Era of COVID-19: A Unifying Opportunity

At the time of writing this post the word is now six months in to a truly transformative global event with COVID-19.  Large portions of society have moved to working from home while others navigate changing work environments to manage the risk of being exposed to a contagious virus.  We behave differently in grocery stores, public transit and even on the sidewalk.  As we dodge people to socially distance on crowded sidewalks, squint a little harder at a monitor for hours while working from home everyone is adapting around new barriers to living everyday life.  
 
In many ways the pandemic has been a great unifier around accessibility as everyone experiences different barriers to their mobility or freedoms.   Lockdowns, health restrictions, social / physical distancing and the use of face masks are changing how we interact as a society.  Our newly forming habits combined with how we spend time are also starting a wider conversation around how we use public spaces both indoors and outdoors.
 
With the closure of many indoor spaces and more people working at home our streets, parks and public spaces have become prized real estate!  Our provincial and national parks are increasingly seen as welcome escapes from cites not designed for social distancing.  That is putting pressure on rural communities with people coming to their communities.  Tiny condos or apartments once seen as resting space when not out socializing now become true homes and havens.
 
On the positive side this is getting more people interested in the importance of park spaces, wider streets for mobility, and other amenities and places where we can safely spend time.   Cities across the country are making short term adaptations to accommodate the reallocation of space on streets to accommodate pop up spaces, patios and more.   A recent guide outlines many examples and references for other cities to follow.  
 
At the same time some innovations are putting up barriers to people with low vision and limiting equitable participation from people from all walks of society.  Rules around social distancing can be challenging for someone with low vision or blindness who relies more on touch and physical contact to understand  the world around them.   Their ability to access public transit becomes more daunting both from fear of the virus and as service frequency is reduced in response to low ridership.  Drive in only concerts and movies enable the show to go on but only for those who come with a required drivers license or access to vehicles. 
 
As we move from the immediate health crisis to a managed opening of our economy that will be with us until a vaccine is available it will be important that health guidelines enable inclusive participation while balancing public health objective for the population as a whole.  This is even more essential as we learn how COVID-19 has impacted lower income and less mobile groups in our society.  Consider for a moment the priority given by governments to the re-opening of boat launches and golf courses against public parks, libraries and playgrounds. 
 
So what can we do to keep the conversation going in support of a transformation that supports more accessible and inclusive spaces for everyone during and coming out of this pandemic?

• Walk your streets.  Whether you are a person facing an accessibility challenge or a city councilor trying to determine what adaptations are needed to support your community, walk the streets and see how changes are unfolding and how people around you are using space.  Take notes and share those with the city, media and service organizations.
• Communicate the opportunities and challenges you see.  Speak with your city councilor, provincial elected officials (MPPs / MLAs) and Federal Members of Parliament    If you work for a city government, reach out to a diverse group of people to test ideas to adapt spaces both in the idea stage and for post implementation evaluation.  Read about some of the emerging examples to increase accessible green spaces.
• Be mindful of unintended consequences.  In response to an immediate crisis it is easy to lose sight of how it can impact a diverse range of people, both the immediate impact and how re-openings may include or exclude certain groups.  This is particularly important for all levels of government, businesses and service organizations.

Managing Eye Strain

For anyone working from time over the past few months you have probably felt growing pressures on your eyes.   Whether using a monitor, tablet or smart phone most of us have seen a doubling or tripling in our respective screen time in our work hours alone.  Screen time outside of work hours only adds to this demand.  Combined this places more demand on our eyes and mental concentration with strain accumulating over time. 

Below are some suggestions on how people can reduce and manage eyestrain. 

• Consider conducting one on one meetings as a walk and talk by calling each other directly and having a conversation rather than a Teams meeting by video.  This allows people to be away from their computers.
  
• When having a Teams or Zoom meeting consider turning off video.  Focus on listening rather than seeing.  Start your meeting with a video for introductions and then switch off.
• Consider an old fashioned conference call for some meetings internally or externally.  This allows people to be away from their computers.
  
• Use larger fonts for documents and applications.  Most Windows and Mac applications have built in setting to increase all fonts.  Consider changes to contrasts and colours for your desktop settings as another way to reduce strain.
• Reduce the multi-tasking you expect from your eyes.  Fewer monitors may be better to let eyes concentrate on one task at a time.  For many of us we already trying to monitor children or other things in the background.
• If you spend a lot of time reviewing documents a screen reader or text dictation software may be of assistance.  This will allow you to listen to the content rather than read.
• Take regular breaks.  For every hour in front of your monitor take ten minutes away.   Grab a coffee, go for a walk, close your eyes. 
• If your eyes are feeling strained try laying down and placing a hot, moist cloth over your eyes.  This can give your eyes a break and draw out the tension.
• When on a video call look up and into the distance at regular intervals to adjust your focus.
• Be mindful of lighting in your workspace.  Too little or too much light can cause added strain.  Seek natural light where possible and avoid fluorescent lights.  
• Reduce background noise.  Auditory strain can increase eyestrain. 
• Consult with your optometrist.  If you already use glasses or contacts a different prescription may be more suitable for screen reading.
• Speak with your manager if the strain is becoming persistent.  When dealing with eyestrain the best action is foremost to reduce the activity causing the strain.  Underlying eye conditions will generally be made worse by increased use of screens.  This could mean adjustments to your work patterns and habits.