#TIL: How to assist travellers using a wheelchair during the COVID pandemic?

By Apoorv Kulkarni

In the pre-COVID days, wheelchair users travelled regularly using various modes of transport. They frequently used hacks or, as we Indians call jugad, to navigate around various physical and digital in accessibilities. For instance, a wheelchair user might request a family member or a taxi driver for assistance in transferring out of their wheelchair and into the car and vice versa. Today, with social distancing becoming a norm, people have additional health and safety considerations before asking for or offering assistance. A question then arises, are there any best practices when one assists a wheelchair user in boarding or disembarking from a vehicle?

The Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) has provided certain recommendations for wheelchair securement. These recommendations may be adapted while seeking or providing assistance for wheelchair users.

Needless to say, the following recommendations are in addition to, and not a substitute for, the government issued COVID-19 related health and safety guidelines. The said guidelines must be followed by the wheelchair users as well as persons assisting them including carers and transport staff.

Tips and recommendations:

1. Wear masks &/or protective face coverings

Wearing masks &/or protective face covering (collectively referred to as “face covering”) is important to avoid spread of COVID-19. Wherever possible, the wheelchair users should wear a face covering. In case wearing the same is difficult on account of one’s disability, consider requesting for assistance whenever possible.

People assisting the wheelchair users are similarly recommended to use masks and/or face coverings

2. Communicate before hand

Different wheelchair users might have varying needs and preferences in connection with assistance. Therefore, it’s advisable to clarify the exact nature of assistance required along with do’s and don’ts beforehand while maintaining a physical distance. This will minimise the need to converse when the wheelchair user and the person assisting them are in close proximity.

3. Sanitise frequently

Adequate care must be taken to sanitise one’s hands, wheelchairs, seats, seatbelts and other surfaces which commonly come in contact with people.

In case sanitising one’s hands or wheelchairs is difficult for a wheelchair user on account of their disability, they should consider requesting for assistance for the same whenever possible.

4. Face in different directions when in proximity

At times, the faces of a wheelchair user and the person assisting them may come in close proximity — say while assisting the user to transfer in/out of the wheelchair or while securing the wheelchair with seatbelts. In such a situation, both should face in different directions and avoid talking. Care should be taken to avoid sneezing or coughing when in close proximity.

5. Display recommendations and spread awareness

Transport operators should display recommendations for assisting wheelchair users on the vehicles for easy reference. Additionally, different channels such as social media should be also used to spread awareness among wheelchair users, other passengers and transport staff on best practices for assisting travellers using a wheelchair. It must be ensured that all displays and awareness campaigns are accessible for Persons with Disabilities.

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