In Touch Folgen

In this special programme we discuss what the rules on social distancing mean for the way blind and visually impaired people live their lives. For example, is it safe for a stranger to guide someone by the arm? What concerns are there around using public transport? We speak to Kirsten Hearn, a blind listener who raised the issue before lockdown. We hear how she is feeling now. We hear the experience of those who live in countries just emerging from lockdown. Peter Brass is a board member of the German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted and Lars Bosselmann is director of the European Blind Union based in Paris. To get some answers, we speak to Professor Robert Dingwall, a sociologist with a public health specialism based at Nottingham Trent University. Presented by Peter White Produced by Louise Clarke-Rowbotham

Why Uber is being taken to court by a blind user who says he's had his journeys cancelled after he has told them he has a guide dog. During the outbreak of the Covid-19 what is happening to eye treatment? In the latest in our round-up of what's happening around the UK, we hear from Raymond Curran, Head of Ophthalmic Services for the Health and Social Care Board in Northern Ireland.Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge want your help to carry out a survey of how people are keeping themselves in trim during lockdown and hear what the problems are. It’s being organised online by Dr Dan Gordon, principal lecturer in Exercise Physiology and a former Paralympic cyclist. We find out exactly what he wants to know. You can take part by visiting the British Blind Sport website.

Social distancing introduced many challenges for blind people, including shopping with fewer people guiding you, and little access to online shopping slots. A petition from blind organisations called for recognition that while blind people may not be more susceptible to Covid-19, more help is needed. We look at the latest pronouncements on vulnerable people and shopping from government. And we've more in our series on how different parts of the nation are delivering emergency eye care with less face to face contact. Dr Iain Livingstone, Consultant Ophthalmologist and Honorary Lecturer at University of Strathclyde takes us into a consultation which has been made possible by new investment by the Scottish Government. It allows remote access to eye scans in designated emergency eye care centres - and we hear a patient being examined by smartphone. And you may have noticed there are a lot of fitness experts urging us to get up and move at the moment. But how do you join in if you can't see what they're doing? Jane Taylor of the You Tube Channel If Ginger Can do it joins us to explain how you can keep fit and stay in. Presented by Peter White Produced by Kev Core