Blind people fear relaxation of lockdown, wonder impact of social distancing on their lives

Visually impaired Amina, who relies heavily on her sense of touch, wonders what kind of 'new life' awaits her when the lockdown imposed in view of the coronavirus pandemic relaxes.

For Amina, it is a double whammy as not only touching any surface will put her at higher risk of contracting the coronavirus but also the new norm of social distancing would make the outside world more wary towards helping her and other blind people.

"Our activities outside our homes see huge dependence on others and mostly strangers whether it is while crossing roads or buying groceries at a supermarket. Secondly, I cannot touch any person or surface in fear of contracting the disease and wearing gloves will weaken my sense of touch," Amina, who works at a blind school, said.

Scientists say apart from person to person contact, coronavirus can also be contracted by touching a surface that has contaminated droplets on it.

The World Health Organisation says that coronavirus has the ability to remain active on certain surfaces for a few hours or several days.

But touch which is the most prevalent means of spreading COVID-19 is also the most prevalent method for visually impaired people to communicate in the outside world.

Saurabh Jain, a BCom student, has been blind since birth and he wonders how exactly "living with coronavirus" will be for him.

"My hands are my eyes and I fear when I step outside people are not going to be as helpful as before. Everyone fears for their life and they will definitely not be comfortable in holding hands of a blind stranger," Jain said.

"Coronavirus does not discriminate against who it infects but it has definitely made us more vulnerable than the others. The so-called new normal is going to be much more difficult for us than for the people with perfect senses," he rued.

India was accounted to have around 12 million blind people in 2017 against 39 million globally-- which makes India home to one-third of the world's blind population,