As sourced from the Washington Post, COVID-19 coverage has been spreading the news: people with many disabilities are scared, and we need to take care of them. For many, the threat of this virus poses a greater risk than for the general public. They cannot shrug their shoulders at a 1-5% mortality rate and think, “I’ll probably be fine.” They have to take the precautions and hope that the rest of the community will too.
For many people with disabilities, having a looming health risk is not so groundbreaking for people with weakened immune systems like it is for the general public. Because it’s not new. Germs were already out there, putting their lives in frequent danger. Buildings and events were already inaccessible, making leaving the house and having a busy life outdoors difficult and cumbersome. The virus has simply brought the reality of what many disabled and sick people live like to the attention of the world. As Ben Mattlin explained in the Washington Post, “We’re accustomed to this contagion-phobic territory. Welcome to the club, non-disabled people.”
Mattlin explains that these new habits for the rest of us were a lifestyle all too familiar to much of the disabled community. He writes about the wry humor he’s seen his community come out with, such as jokes about how they’ve learned their lifestyle is called self-quarantining! And they know the drill of not touching their face all too well. Mothers with immunocompromised children say they always had Clorox wipes and hand sanitizer in stock and having light switches and doorknobs wiped down is the norm. One mother named Brooke said:
“The way that everyone is acting now with wiping things down, keeping face masks and gloves on? Unfortunately that’s our daily life.”
One part that the chronic illness community has to grapple with though is that this type of living doesn’t end with the coronavirus. There is no the comfort that this will pass. But the rare disease patients hope the lesson is not forgotten an hope rather that it will instill long-term changes for the community. Brooke explains that she hopes coronavirus makes everyone else conscious of these things in everyday life:
“Right now this is a big deal for everybody, but when this stops for everyone this is still our life. When your kids are sick, keep them home.”
She explained she knows this can be hard to deal with when you have work or no babysitter and that she’s been there. However:
“Keep your eyes open, remember everyone’s safety, because it’s not just your family.”
Mattlin writes about the new systems being implemented now to deal with the germs- the prevalence of telecommuting and virtual access to education and entertainment like museums. These things could drastically change employment opportunities for the community and open parts of society that were closed off. These changes are not new ideas as these were things the community has been asking for. Coronavirus has shown that we can make these things accessible from our homes, and there’s many people who will continue to live like this when stay at home orders end. So if coronavirus can garner empathy and open doors for everyone, let’s remember those who will continue living like this. We can keep them open.
