1. Are people with sight loss at a higher risk of catching coronavirus as their experience of public environments is often more tactile?

Anyone can put themselves at risk through touching things outside of their home environment and then touching their eyes, nose or mouth before thoroughly cleaning their hands. The government guidance is clear on the dos and don'ts with regards to stopping the spread of infection:

Do

• wash your hands with soap and water often - do this for at least 20 seconds
• use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• wash your hands as soon as you get back home
• cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
• put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards

Don't

• do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean

2. How do I practice social distancing?

In order to protect ourselves and save lives it is vital that we follow Government guidelines on social distancing to reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus.

If possible, avoid leaving your home and make use of local and national resources to support you in your house.

If you need to go out for a walk or to access essential goods, there isn't an issue for you to be guided by a member of your household. If you do not have anyone within your household to guide you, the government guidance is to maintain a 2 metre distance, so guiding should be avoided where possible.

If you are unable to gauge whether you are maintaining the recommended distance from someone outside of your home environment, you may want to implement the following suggestions:

• Make regular announcements letting others know of your proximity and that you are unaware of theirs
• Use your symbol cane when out and about so others are aware that you have sight loss
• Ensure to carefully wash/sanitise your hands before leaving your home and as soon as you return to keep the risk of spreading the virus to a minimum
• Avoid touching your face or touching anyone in your household unless you have recently cleaned your hands

3. Should I continue to use my eye drops during Covid-19?

Yes. If you are being prescribed drops for any eye condition, you should continue to use them as directed by your consultant. It is very important that you do not stop, as interrupting your treatment can cause problems with your vision.

We’ve all been instructed not to touch our faces and eyes to avoid infection. However, if you’ve been told to pinch the corner of your eyelid while putting your eye drops in, you should still be doing this as it is an important stage in making sure your drops are effective.

Before you start putting in your eye drops, it is really important that you wash your hands for 20 seconds using soap and hot water, as advised by the Government. As long as your hands are clean, then you are not going to cause infection while putting your eye drops in.

4. I am worried about accessing products and services during the coronavirus pandemic, who can help?

Some of the operating online stores for the basic items are :

a. Bhatbhateni super Market;  You can call on 9801241449, 9801246806, 9801118837. Every order would require Name, Mobile Number and Address. We will be delivering at your home. Effective from: 2020-03-27

b. Nimbus bazar : https://nimbusbazar.com/

c. sasto deal : https://www.sastodeal.com/

Source : https://www.sightadvicefaq.org.uk/independent-living/Covid-19#