Masks everywhere...what about those who have a hearing impairment

[Greysparkles]

Just that really.
I have a hearing loss in 1 ear, and have to wear a mask at work. I never realised how much I rely on lip reading!!

It's difficult and mine is only a mild impairment. I really feel for those who will truly struggle if this comes into force in more environments

@bonsaidragon Do you really think deaf people won’t want to avoid COVID too?

@bonsaidragon

Just going to be honest, this isn’t something I see as a priority. Wearing a mask is more important.

So you are prepared to prevent the Deaf/deaf communities from communicating with people then ?

Other peoples right to not catch a potentially life threatening virus trumps my right to hear.

I'd rather get covid myself. HTH.

@BankofNook what about a home made one, I've seen a pattern to make one out of socks, or a scarf or roll neck jumper that could just be pulled up? Would the lack of pull around the ears help? I really feel for you

If it stops more people from catching the disease or dying, then masks are a necessary evil for those who lip read surely? I wonder how many deaths of bus or taxi drivers could have been prevented if mask usage was mandatory earlier? If it slows the transmission, masks are a higher priority over lip reading unfortunately

It won’t be forever. Currently masks are only going to be compulsory on public transportation where you rarely have to listen to others. Ticket inspectors are visually identifiable as staff if you can’t otherwise hear them.

I think people may have to temporarily rely on other hearing aids. I will be patient with anyone who can’t hear me. I am willing to learn sign language. Or write down what I’m saying/type it into my phone to show you instead.

I'd rather get covid myself. HTH

Thank you for your help. I respect your choice

I don't think anyone is moaning about people using them! just wanting to vent about the fact it makes things harder. Because factually it does.

I'm not saying it's an either or situation, but I think some thought needs to go into it. Especially if it's going to become more widespread

@Greysparkles

I'm not saying it's an either or situation, but I think some thought needs to go into it. Especially if it's going to become more widespread

This. Even if its just providing staff with stationery. You get on the bus, ask the driver how much to X, you can't understand cos he's wearing a mask, you can't hand over your phone or a pen and paper for him to write it down cos naughty coronabug so just ask drivers having a pad and pen would be a start. In the pharmacy staff are more likely to be able to find a pen and paper but a little tight and consideration doesn't mean people shouldn't wear them

I have a partial hearing loss (50% in one ear) and have to wear a mask at work as do my colleagues, We also have a Perspex screen across our service counter which makes it even harder to talk to patients. Unfortunately I just have to cope. I normally use my other ear and lip reading to compensate but I can’t if I can’t see faces.

You have to pay by card don’t you? So not like you need to use the correct amount? Can people google public transport fares? I don’t use public transport but presumed you could?

I have a degree of hearing loss and do lip read a bit to keep up. I’m very pro masks but can see this causing serious problems for people with a large degree of hearing loss so am V sympathetic.

I don’t know about others but I also struggle to work out how loudly or quietly I’m talking and I mostly apparently speak too quietly, to compensate! This is going to make it even trickier to set my volume!

I'm hearing impaired - moderate bilateral & wear hearing aids. Honestly, it makes me really sad because I rely heavily on lip reading. I see it as a bit more of my independence getting chipped away, I struggle in environments where there us other or background noise. However, I do accept that it is necessary to use masks so I will have to manage as best I can. My need to read lips isnt more important than a persons life.

My need to read lips isnt more important than a persons life

Of course it isn't, and I'd never say it was. But if this is to be our new normal then service providers and employers will need to think about this.
Especially if the figure quoted upthread is correct. That's 10% of the population!

I actually saw a lip reading friendly mask on Etsy yesterday, it had a little viewing window type patch on it made out of plastic. I know that doesn't solve your problem if you need to speak to strangers but you could look into them for family members who you need to lip read whilst outside.

Other peoples right to not catch a potentially life threatening virus trumps my right to hear

Does that include things like "look out That car is coming way too fast?!

Sorry but as if it's a choice between lip reading and certain death anyway.

@HeIenaDove

Other peoples right to not catch a potentially life threatening virus trumps my right to hear

Does that include things like "look out That car is coming way too fast?!

That wouldnt be much good to me anyway - presumably I'd be side by side so I wouldnt hear the person anyway 😉

@Greysparkles

My need to read lips isnt more important than a persons life

Of course it isn't, and I'd never say it was. But if this is to be our new normal then service providers and employers will need to think about this.
Especially if the figure quoted upthread is correct. That's 10% of the population!

Yeah, I started thinking this through and panicking about how I'm going to survive in meetings and the office going forward. I wonder if access to work will provide window masks for my colleagues?!

I think people may have to temporarily rely on other hearing aids

Do you realise all hearing aids do is amplify everything? Lip reading means I can "tune out" the extra noise and try and focus on what people are saying. Hearing aids just make everything louder so speaking is drowned out, especially if it's from behind a mask.

I rely on lip reading. It will be harder for those with less hearing or no hearing. It will be awful not to be able to communicate as well as usual. But the alternative is worse. If wearing masks can lower the RRate it needs to be done. Everyone needs to make sacrifices and put up with life being a bit worse for a while and this will be worse for some compared to others. But we are all in it together - unless you are Cummings.

At the school at which I teach we have a large number of both students and staff with hearing impairments. For those who rely heavily on lip reading we have volunteers making masks to this pattern:

www.hsdc.org/accessible-deaf-friendly-face-mask/

Apparently a thin film of washing up liquid rubbed into the plastic before use stops them from steaming up.

Sorry but as if it's a choice between lip reading and certain death anyway.

No it’s between making choices about your own/families health vs being able to mouth to others about on-coming fast cars, maybe 🤷🏻‍♀️

@Hercwasonaroll

I think people may have to temporarily rely on other hearing aids

Do you realise all hearing aids do is amplify everything? Lip reading means I can "tune out" the extra noise and try and focus on what people are saying. Hearing aids just make everything louder so speaking is drowned out, especially if it's from behind a mask.

I dont think that's what she meant - she meant hearing aids as in things to help you hear rather than things you put in your ears. The difficulty though is not everyone who is D/deaf uses sign language, and from what I know of it (not much) there is a lot of facial expression involved in it too.

I also have hearing loss and rely on facial expressions and lip reading to understand people. Deaf and hearing impaired people are always thrown under a bus.