QR codes need a "smart phone"

and, to  state the obvious, not everyone has a "smart phone". I don't have one.

Although I could probably get one I don't feel inclined to spend the money while the phone I have still works.  Yesterday though it meant signing in twice at places where the alternative was to snap my attendance at a QR point. It was annoying - even when I know and understand the reason for doing it. I am not bothered if the government knows I have visited those venues. They are harmless, indeed boring but the process is time consuming.

What bothers me more is that a lot of people I know do not own "smart phones". Even if they did own them they would have no idea how to use them for the purpose of using a corona virus "app". Still worse is the fact that these people would be some of the most vulnerable people in the community - the elderly and people with disabilities. It is also an issue for some people who have come from other places where a much closer watch is kept on what everyone is doing.

Like the wearing of masks and the problems they pose for people with a hearing loss this is something the government and other agencies simply have not thought through.  It sounds such a simple solution to quick contact tracing. I have no personal objection to it simply because I am still limiting my visiting to essential places only.  What is more the information won't be used unless I visit a place someone with the virus has also visited - and then, yes I do want to know.

When I went to visit the Senior Cat yesterday I took his younger cousin with me. M...'s medical clinic sent a fax through so that the residence had a record of his vaccinations. It is information that has to be shared for reasons of safety. We filled in the covid forms, we signed in, we wore masks as we went to and from the Senior Cat's room. In the room though we took the masks off - because the Senior Cat cannot participate in a conversation unless he can also see what we are saying. It is a situation which is causing real difficulties for the staff. Wearing masks is mandatory for now. The reality however is that they need to be removed at times - simply in order to communicate.

I saw a man I know yesterday. He is profoundly deaf. With me he uses sign language - something which requires extreme patience on his part as my skills in that area are extremely limited. He told me of his extreme frustration at present. His (admittedly limited) lip reading skills are of no  use at all if the person he is attempting to communicate with is wearing a mask. He understands the problems of the elderly with a hearing loss but very few people do understand the additional problems posed by the present situation.

And people with intellectual and other disabilities are having to rely on often inaccurate information given to them by others. F... cannot read and is slow to take in information. She can use her phone to ring her family and a friend in an emergency. She can answer her phone. She "does not remember things" - until I or someone else has perhaps told her more than a dozen times. Sign her name somewhere? She believes that is not safe - and neither it is.  Right now she goes to the supermarket and then goes back to her tiny unit. I colour coded pictures for her  yesterday so she knows she can go for a walk again. If the situation changes I will need to change that or her friend R.... will need to do it.  Even recognising the QR code would take time for her. Recognising it and using an app to "read" it would take months of learning. F.... is not the only person I know like that.

We have to be able to do better than this. It is even more mentally stressful for some people - and all too often this is not being acknowledged.