[NFBF-L] FW: DBS Media Report Monday, March 30, 2020

[PLipovsky]

DBS Media Report

Monday, March 30, 2020

 

Life Site News: Lawyers Warn Against Health Care Rationing Based On Age,
Disability: It Violates Civil Rights Law
<https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/lawyers-warn-against-health-care-rationin
g-based-on-age-disability-it-violates-civil-rights-law> 

A group of U.S. lawyers have warned that rationing health care based on
disability or age during the coronavirus outbreak violates federal civil
rights law. "Federal law requires that decisions regarding the critical care
of patients during the current crisis not discriminate on the basis of
disability or age," lawyers representing the Freedom of Conscience Defense
Fund and the Thomas More Society wrote in a March 23 memorandum. "In this
respect, anticipated longevity or quality of life are inappropriate issues
for consideration." "Decisions must be made solely on clinical factors as to
which patients have the greatest need and the best prospect of a good
medical outcome. Therefore, disability and age should not be used as
categorical exclusions in making these critical decisions."

HRW: Protect Rights Of People With Disabilities During COVID-19
<https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/03/26/protect-rights-people-disabilities-duri
ng-covid-19> 

COVID-19 presents particular risks for many people with disabilities around
the world, Human Rights Watch said today. Governments should make extra
efforts to protect the rights of people with disabilities in responding to
the pandemic. "People with disabilities are among the world's most
marginalized and stigmatized even under normal circumstances," said Jane
Buchanan, deputy disability rights director at Human Rights Watch. "Without
swift action by governments to include people with disabilities in their
response to COVID-19, they will remain at serious risk of infection and
death as the pandemic spreads."

 

Education

 

Blueridge Now: Five Myths About Home-Schooling
<https://www.blueridgenow.com/opinion/20200330/kamenetz-five-myths-about-hom
e-schooling> 

About 14% of public school students receive special education accommodations
of some kind, and their families may have trouble wrapping their heads
around what it means to home-school. Some education leaders worry about
inadequate assistance for these students. The Northshore School District
outside Seattle tried distance learning for a week before determining that
it could not offer adequate services for disabled students. But even before
the pandemic, many families chose to home-school their kids with
disabilities, drawing on resources like Accessibyte apps for those with
visual impairment and Fastbraiin for learners with ADHD. Amid the outbreak,
the U.S. Department of Education has weighed in with new guidance, urging
school districts to come up with solutions to serve students with
disabilities and not to avoid offering remote learning plans.

WBUR: Disability Advocates Worry The Quick Shift To Online Learning Could
Overlook Needed Accommodations
<https://www.wbur.org/edify/2020/03/26/online-learning-accommodations> 

Advocates have also raised concerns about how this quick shift online will
impact students who are blind. "When there is very little planning time
involved and a quick ramp up time we're very concerned that blind students
are going to struggle," said Chris Danielsen with the National Federation of
the Blind. He explained when it comes to online learning platforms,
accessibility really varies. The ones that are widely used like
<https://www.blackboard.com/> Blackboard and Desire2Learn, have gotten
pretty good. Danielsen added that while more colleges and universities have
improved access over the last several years due to pressure from his
organization and others, there still is not a lot of broad uptake.

 

Eye Health

Yahoo Finance: Prevent Blindness Urges Women To Make Their Vision Health A
Priority Today To Help Protect It For The Future
<https://finance.yahoo.com/news/prevent-blindness-urges-women-vision-1300006
35.html> 

The National Eye Institute states that 26 percent more women aged 12 and
older have uncorrected visual impairment due to refractive error compared
with men aged 12 and older. And, 14 percent more women aged 40 and older
have refractive errors compared with men aged 40 and older. Additionally,
women are also more likely to have autoimmune conditions, which often come
with visual side effects. According to the American Academy of
Ophthalmology, for women, fluctuating hormone levels of estrogen and
progesterone can affect the eye's oil glands, which can lead to dryness.
Estrogen can also make the cornea less stiff with more elasticity, which can
affect how light travels into the eye. The dryness and the change in
refraction can cause blurry vision and can also make wearing contact lenses
difficult.

 

 

 

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