Seoul City Distributes 10 Types of 'COVID-19 Response Manuals' Created Directly by People with Disabilities

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] On the 13th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it has created 10 customized "Infectious Disease Response Manuals for Persons with Disabilities" tailored to the type of disability (physical, visual, hearing, brain lesion, developmental) and facility characteristics (residential facilities, day care centers, welfare centers, vocational rehabilitation facilities, supported housing).

A distinctive feature is that persons with disabilities directly participated in the process, ensuring that the manuals kindly reflect daily life rules and essential information for COVID-19 prevention from the perspective of persons with disabilities, such as when using public transportation or going out and returning home.

For example, family members and activity support workers living with visually impaired persons who need to perceive information through fingertip sensation should frequently disinfect contact surfaces of objects touched by many people, such as door handles and stair railings.

Persons with brain lesion disabilities who find it difficult to wear masks alone can use assistive devices like straps to connect the mask strings, place it on the head, and then slowly pull it down to wear it. Hearing-impaired persons who need to read lip movements to understand conversations are recommended to use "Lip View Masks," which have a transparent acrylic front part.

The manuals also include public support measures for persons with disabilities who are relatively vulnerable to COVID-19. Although self-quarantine is generally conducted alone, persons with developmental disabilities who have difficulty moving alone can receive vehicle support to the quarantine location and continue to receive activity support during self-quarantine.

Reflecting demands from parent organizations of persons with disabilities for tailored infectious disease response manuals amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the city promoted the development and production of the manuals through a public job project from September to December last year.

The city has produced 10 types of these infectious disease response manuals for persons with disabilities and 23 videos, making them freely accessible on the city’s official website and YouTube channel (Seoul Metropolitan Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities), and plans to distribute them to 25 autonomous districts and disability welfare facilities.