COVID-19: Through a Disability Lens Sinjita Bhattacharya Planning for emergencies with people with impairments in mind is crucial to the survival of a medically vulnerable and support-reliant population during a pandemic.
People living in nursing homes, psychiatric hospitals, and intermediate care facilities make up 1% of the population, but 50% of COVID-19 deaths. (ACLU)
Under the pressure of a pandemic, however, we seem to devalue the importance of people with disabilities as a part of the initial “critical” plan and adopt morally dubious approaches. “Patients with the highest probability of mortality without medical intervention, along with patients with the smallest probability of mortality with medical intervention, have the lowest level of access to ventilator therapy.” (New York State Guidelines on Ventilator Allocation)
(The New York Times)
June Kailes, Disability Policy Expert on Factors to Consider in Planning for Pandemic Influenza: “disability related factors that increase risk for exposure, complications, and death from pandemic influenza” “ethical issues surrounding priority vaccination and treatments that affect the disability community” (The New York Times)
The guidelines created by NYS in allocating ventilators does not account for the disabilityrelated factors that can increase mortality rates and devalues disabled people to the point of denying them access to care.
If we plan calmly and in anticipation for the needs of people with impairments, everyone benefits from the universal solutions put into place. Example of Universal Design in meeting Functional Needs
Maintaining Independence During an emergency, individuals may lose support that they ordinarily need to be independent. Needs of People with Impairments: consumable medical supplies service animals attendants/ caregivers durable medical equipment Other Populations that Benefit: children older adults those with limited English proficiency unhoused people low/no income people who rely on community resources
In serving the functional needs of people with disabilities, nondisabled populations benefit from the universal design of all resources created. Acting in anticipation for these needs protects the disabled population and benefits many other ones.