PENSACOLA, Fla. (WEAR) — The COVID-19 pandemic has caused sweeping impacts across our society as many people have had to make quick adjustments for safety. Many in the deaf community are feeling left behind and in some cases ignored.
The CDC and many medical experts say masks are a way to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. But as many people mask up, the deaf and hard of hearing are facing a major obstacle.
Good friends John Shiver and Phillip Ward of Pensacola were born deaf, which in turn greatly impacts their ability to speak. They communicate through sign language -- and when encountering people who don't know sign language, which is most people, they depend on reading lips.
"I wish people had some empathy," Shiver said.
With an interpreter, Shiver and Ward tell us as more people have been wearing masks, they have been having trouble communicating with people in public.
"We depend on the tone, if you will, of the facial expressions to know if someone is being friendly or informative. So it's quite a struggle," Shiver explained.
And throughout this pandemic, in many ways, they have felt forgotten.
"For example, our Governor, the governor of Florida, he will not hire an interpreter and have them for his news conferences," Shiver said.
But they understand and support people's reasons for wearing masks and don't want people to be unsafe to speak to them. They have found a solution in the form of see through masks or face shields.
"The clear mask is much better for us to understand," Shiver explained.
He says its difficult, especially at businesses or even the hospital, to communicate with staff who are not wearing see through masks. He believes all businesses and organizations that serve the public should make the change to make things safe and accessible to everyone.
"We all, as hearing or deaf people, need those facial expressions to see the tone. I think it would be beneficial for everyone," Shiver said.
Shiver and Ward, as well as their interpreter, get their see-through masks from this website. They believe the more people who wear them, the easier and safer it will be getting through the pandemic together.