Accessibility statement

Our goal

We aim to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 at level AA. This is our goal, not a claim that every page already meets it. We test and improve the site as we go.

What we do

• Readable type: body text uses Atkinson Hyperlegible, a typeface designed by the Braille Institute to be easier to read for people with low vision, at a comfortable size with generous line spacing.
• Plain language: we write at about an eighth-grade reading level, keep paragraphs short and explain medical terms. Our glossary defines 148 terms in plain English.
• Color and contrast: we choose text and background colors for strong contrast and don’t rely on color alone to carry meaning.
• Structure: each page has one main heading and a logical heading order, so screen readers can navigate by headings. Long guides have an “On this page” list.
• Images: meaningful images have text alternatives; decorative images are hidden from screen readers.
• Keyboard and mobile: links, buttons and menus are built to work with a keyboard, and every page is designed to work on small screens without sideways scrolling.
• Text alternatives to visuals: the risk map on our homepage has a text version: Lyme disease by state.

Known limitations

• Some comparison tables are wide; on small screens they scroll sideways inside their box.
• The interactive risk map is easiest to use with a mouse or touch screen; the state list linked above has the same information.
• Links to other websites lead to pages we don’t control, which may not meet the same standards.

Tell us about a barrier

If anything on Beat Lyme is hard to read, hear, see or use, please tell us. Let us know the page and what happened, and we will try to fix it or get you the information another way. Email [email protected] or use our contact form.

We also welcome corrections to our content. See our editorial policy.