PHOENIX — On Monday, staff from Terros Health administered the shots to 30 clients at the Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
“The fact that’ll I’ll be vaccinated and doing my part staying healthy,” said Chad Hagaman, who received his first Moderna vaccine shot.
Steve Welker the chairperson on the board of the Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired says the blind community is particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.
“We have to use sighted guides a lot. Which means we’re actually touching a person. So, there’s no social distancing. We can’t tell if someone has a mask on or not. We have to touch surfaces a lot. We touch handrails or counter tops, chairs,” said Welker, who lost his sight in a car accident 20 years ago.
The process to sign up for a vaccine from the state or county websites has been a challenge.
“I use screen reading software. As well as a braille display with my computer system. Consequently, some of these sites are not very well accessible for someone who is blind,” said Pam Bortz.
She received her first Moderna vaccine shot.
Not to mention access to transportation can be tough – so the Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired made it easier for their clients to not only stay healthy but do their part.
“If, I and more people get the COVID vaccine we can whip this thing,” said Bortz.