Blind Abilities Podcast

Every day we hear of how the coronavirus has impacted people all over the world, but rarely have we heard specific reports about its effect on blind and visually impaired individuals.  In this 22nd episode in our series, Around the World with COVID-19 from a Blindness Perspective, we hear from Sammie Shipman in California, who fills in those details for us. Sammie Shipman is a college student living in the San Francisco bay area in northern California, in the US. Sammie shares her routine as a student living and active lifestyle that ranges from her daily 3-hour commute to school, to her walks around the local marina with her guide dog, fighting the smoke-filled air resulting from the wildfires which are very prevalent in the area.  She also enjoys her social outings with friends and going to church which recently reopened with all necessary pandemic precautions, masks, social distancing, etc.     Sammie was in the midst of her school semester when the Corona virus arrived, but finished her courses and enjoye