KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The coronavirus is creating a new set of challenges for those who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Communication is growing difficult as more people wear face masks, limiting facial expressions and preventing lip reading.
Those in the deaf and hard of hearing community said this adds another level of stress as they figure out new ways to engage.
“Many deaf and hard of hearing people have anxiety about having a mask on because some are skilled lip readers, and they depend on watching the lips move to convey what’s being said,” said Clark Corogenes, a deaf services advocate at The Whole Person.
Corogenes said many people rely on facial cues and lip reading to communicate. Face masks create a tough barrier.
“If they can’t see it, then they can’t do that. Then they don’t understand. They are missing a lot of points,” Corogenes said.
Those in this particular community are advocating for more interpreters and more people willing to learn basic sign language.
“If you are practicing safe social distancing, pulling the mask down could be a better way for that communication to happen. There are also clear masks that have been starting, people have been able to purchase, that are out there,” said Rhonda Scott, coordinator for Deaf Services at Catholic Charities and an interpreter.
Some of these advancements are already happening.
An Eastern Kentucky University senior created a clear mask to allow for better communication.
Requests for her homemade masks have reached more than 20,000 in multiple countries.
“We need to think about these populations that we don’t think about all the time. And we need to start making life in general more accessible for everyone,” Ashley Lawrence said. “It’s beyond just the giving of the masks. It’s the awareness, which is something I never thought would happen when I started this.”
Together the advocates said they hope to shine a light on deaf awareness during this pandemic.
The Missouri Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing is doing their part to help, providing free clear masks for people who are either deaf or hard of hearing.
You are asked to write a letter of recommendation to get a mask. For more information, click here.
