Why transparent face masks should be mandatory

We’re past the six-month point of this Covid-19 pandemic, and unfortunately it doesn’t look like ending any time soon.

Most countries have gone through their first wave, but as people return to work, kids return to school, and life begins to return to normal, a second wave is on the horizon.

With face masks mandatory in most public places, this rule might well become an everyday part of life post-Covid.

This opens up another can of worms that most people don’t even think about; lip reading.

Covering your mouth makes life even tougher for the deaf and hard of hearing, and it’s an issue that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

The statistics

According to the World Health Organization, almost half a billion people around the globe are deaf or hard of hearing, with that number expected to double in the next 30 years.

In the UK, 1 in 6 people are affected, 8 million of whom are over the age of 60.

It’s estimated that almost 7 million people in the UK could benefit from using a hearing aid, but only two million actually use one.

Deaf and hard of hearing people make up a significant percentage of the population, and as the country’s second most common disability, it’s a demographic which can’t be ignored.

Lip-reading is more than just reading lips

Contrary to popular belief, lip-reading isn’t an exact science.

Many words look the same when spoken (try saying vacuum in a mirror!), so a huge part of lip reading is facial expressions for context.

Face masks make this impossible, so for the millions who depend on face-to-face contact for communication, the world is now a very lonely place.

Not just for deaf people

Perhaps as much as 93% of our communication is non-verbal, so not being able to see someone’s face when talking isn’t just a problem for the deaf community.

Micro facial expressions help people understand emotions, context, and help communication, and the ability to see a smile makes a world of difference.

Even when no-one is speaking, facial expressions are important for building rapport and communication empathy, which can diminish confusion and improve encounters.

Being able to see someone’s face is not just a part of our present-day culture, but built into our evolution.

Call on the NHS

With transparent face masks, there is a unique opportunity here to make a small difference which will greatly impact people’s quality of life.

There is already a campaign to have them as standard in the UK, especially in hospitals, with several charities writing to the Government, but unfortunately nothing has come of it so far.

Transparent face masks are a niche product initially designed to help the deaf community, but could in fact benefit everyone.

And as masks look like they’re going to become part of our lives for the foreseeable future, without transparent options, this will only mean there will be more discrimination towards the deaf community.