5 Ways Blind People Can Stay Informed During Coronavirus Season

Coronavirus is upon us, and with it comes a barrage of constantly changing and updating information. It can be hard enough for a person with regular vision to keep up to date, but for the blind or visually impaired, these times can be particularly challenging. Being isolated for days on end presents new obstacles for all of us, but for those who are blind or have low vision, getting out of your normal routine without friends and loved ones nearby means confronting accessibility barriers left and right.

OrCam has compiled a list of ways to ease the difficulties of staying up to date during these trying times:

1. Phone a Friend

Instead of attempting to read every news article on your own, reach out to a friend or family member at the start and end of each day and ask them for a summary of the most timely and relevant information. Many mental health professionals are particularly willing to speak to anyone, even non-patients, during this trying time.

2. Push Notifications

Set up push notifications on the app of your preferred news outlets to be notified on your mobile device only when coronavirus-related content is posted.

3. Assistive Reading Devices

If you’re a news junkie and can’t get enough of the COVID-19 content, use your assistive reading device such as the OrCam MyEye 2 to read it all. The MyEye 2 can read large amounts of text without delay, so you can devour every page of the morning paper as soon at the delivery boy drops it on your front porch.

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4. Radio Stations

Different radio stations are responding to the coronavirus in different ways, and adapting their programming accordingly. The BBC has announced it will focus more of its programs, including The One Show, on the coronavirus outbreak. A dedicated coronavirus podcast will be released daily, and the BBC’s local radio stations will provide support to communities around the country. NPR has audio snippets on their website which can also also be listened to in their podcast, UpFirst, on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon Alexa, and other sources.

5. Virtual Voice Assistant

Amazon’s Alexa has many news outlet integrations, ranging from the Washington Post to CNN to Fox News and everything in between. Just say “Alexa, open Washington Post” or “Alexa, what’s my Flash Briefing?” or simply “Alexa, what’s in the news?” and she will respond back with the latest updates.

COVID-19 has sprung us all for a loop, but staying informed and up to date does not have to be difficult. If you’re interested in learning more about OrCam’s MyEye 2 for all your reading needs, fill out the contact form below and someone from our team will reach out to you.