LONDON (UK) – Though the introduction of mandatory face masks in enclosed spaces in the country was intended to protect people from the pandemic, it has made life pretty much difficult for the deaf community.
With face masks hiding lip reading and facial expressions, the 12 million people who are deaf or suffering from loss of hearing in the country are unable to communicate and are forced to remain at home.
Mangai Sutharsan, director of Empowering Deaf Society, said the introduction of the face mask rule has made venturing into public spaces a stressful affair.
“Personally I’m frightened to go to the shop and to mix where people are wearing masks,” she said in sign language which was put into English by an interpreter.
“People don’t know I’m deaf so they’ll be talking to me but I won’t know it, or I won’t understand them which is embarrassing. This is really stressful.”
“Communication for many is virtually impossible and it’s a huge challenge causing massive anxiety,” Ayla Ozmen, who heads research and policy at Action on Hearing Loss.