![]() The company, which was co-founded by Allysa Dittmar, who is Deaf, recently started selling the disposable clear masks in bulk to more organizations that serve or work with people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. ![]() #HOW DO YOU SAY FINEPRINT IN ASL WINDOWS#That’s why people have created masks with clear windows or use clear face shields because some people read lips while others rely on facial expressions to understand grammar and emotions in ASL.Īfter evaluating face masks for months, ACDHH staff purchased 30,000 clear masks for approximately $75,000 in June from a startup company called ClearMask, which initially created clear face masks for hospital staff to use when treating patients who are Deaf or hard of hearing. In June, masks were mandated in Maricopa County and other cities across Arizona in an attempt to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.Īccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, masks are not required for people who have physical or mental health conditions, including those who are Deaf or hard of hearing, but some still prefer to wear a mask. Clear masks and face shields improve communication Sometimes the internet service itself is bad and it ends up freezing,” Stone said. People who have some other disabilities, like maybe somebody with an attention deficit - that might not work so well. Sometimes doctors use Video Remote Interpreting, or off-site interpreting services, but it’s not always a good solution, Stone said. “And some interpreters are refusing to go on site because of what's going on and because they may have underlying medical issues and are concerned about going and getting sick.” “Sometimes we have to pull the mask down to try to get that thought across, because they need that grammar, so that’s been challenging,” Stone said. At one appointment, Crowell said she was asked to hold a tablet with the video interpreter in one arm while she signed with her other hand. Difficulty in doctor's officeĪs a result of COVID-19, interpreting services have also decreased due to social distancing, said Collins.Ĭrowell said she has also experienced challenges using teleinterpreters while at the doctor’s office. ![]() In Arizona, more than 20,000 people are culturally Deaf and more than 1.1 million people are hard of hearing, according to Sherri Collins, executive director for the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.Īnd since the pandemic started, people who are Deaf, hard of hearing or deaf-blind continue to experience limited access to interpreters and information, as well as difficult or less communication with others due to masks and social distancing, leaving some feeling isolated. ![]() I just feel completely lost."Ĭrowell is not alone in her frustration. ![]() "I can't tell if they're laughing, if they're upset, if there's any sort of attitude. When Ava Crowell tried to schedule a doctor’s appointment in May, she was told that instead of waiting one day, when the doctor was available, she couldn't be seen for a week because no on-site American Sign Language interpreters were available.Īnd when an interpreter was present, they were wearing a mask, so it was difficult to understand what the doctor was saying, said Crowell, who lives in Tucson and is Deaf and hard of hearing. ![]()
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