Taking a covid test is not the best feeling and it's certainly not comfortable for a lot of people.
However for others who are blind or partially sighted, taking a covid test is more stressful and can be rather tricky due to inaccessibility despite health officials stressing how vital these tests are for everyone to take.
Thankfully there is a new app which can change accessibility issues and thus reduce the spread of covid as well as the stress of having to take a test.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) recently launched the covid test app helping partially sighted people safely use a lateral flow tests in their home.
The service was launched following an ongoing partnership between UKHSA and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), the Macular Society, Thomas Pocklington Trust, Visionary and Be My Eyes app in a bid to "make testing more accessible."
In a tweet yesterday (February 14) they announced: "In collaboration with @RNIB @MacularSociety @TPTgeneral @visionary_uk and @BeMyEyes we've launched a new service today providing live video support to make taking lateral flow tests more accessible for those with visual impairments."
The app, called 'Be My Eyes', connects people with "low to moderate vision with agents from 119 through a live video call."
Will Butler, Chief Experience Officer, Be My Eyes, said: "The lack of accessible covid testing options puts millions of people in a difficult and dangerous situation. Technology can bridge this gap, and we’re proud to provide UKHSA with a secure, reliable channel to reach and serve anyone who needs visual support. We hope other health care providers will follow their example."
The Gov.uk website states that "users can now benefit from live video assistance from NHS Test and Trace staff to help guide them through how to order, use the tests and register their test results."
In explaining the importance of the app, UKHSA chief executive Dame Jenny Harries said: "Rapid testing continues to play a vital role in combating the spread of covid. This important new service will help make it easier for partially sighted people to use rapid tests in the comfort of their own home."
Mike Wordingham, Policy Officer for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) added: "Since early on in the pandemic, RNIB has been working with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to improve the accessibility of at-home tests with more than 100 blind and partially sighted people involved in exploring solutions.
"We are pleased the Be My Eyes app will enable thousands more people with sight loss to connect with live video assistance to carry out tests as it is vital this happens to enable people to keep themselves and their communities safe.
"We look forward to continuing the work to ensure testing is made accessible to all, including through the provision of the new instructions in braille, audio and large print formats."
According to the Government, the UKHSA has carried out trials with volunteers with differing levels of vision to understand the changes that would have the most impact to testing accessibility.
New tools are also being introduced for partially sighted people ordering home test kits, including:
- Instructions in braille, audio and large print
- An RNIB information line providing a recorded version of the instructions
You can find out more about the app here.
The 'Be My Eyes' app is available to download for free through the App store here or the Google Play store here.
