As face masks become commonplace, communicating becomes harder for those with hearing loss

Katrina Tarondo relies on hearing aids and reading facial expressions to communicate with others.

But as Quebec public health recommends wearing masks to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, doing so has become more challenging.

During a recent trip to the pharmacy, she had a tough time hearing the person behind the counter through their mask. Waiting for her prescription was making her uneasy.

"I was having high anxiety. I have to stay close, but then I was getting other people nervous. I understand they want to keep social distancing," she said.

"It's just that I had to stay close to make sure that I hear them when they call my name."

Tarondo is part of Hear Entendre Qubec, a group that works with anglophones living with hearing loss.

They want to raise awareness about the difficulty those with hearing loss have when trying to communicate with people wearing masks.

"They rely heavily, not just on the lip movements, but also the facial expressions. The masks really take that away," said Heidy Wager, executive director of Hear Entendre Qubec.

One solution the group came up with was giving clear, plastic face shields to people who work with the public.

150 face shields donated

A volunteer with the group donated 150 face shields, valued at $600.

Hear Entendre Qubec has already distributed all of them to a variety of people including teachers at the Montreal Oral School for the Deaf, some staff at the Lethbridge-Layton-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre, dental hygienists and some of its members.

Epidemiologist Dr. Christopher Labos says the point of the face shield is to provide a physical barrier.

He says they work like the plexiglass dividers that are now common at grocery and retail stores.

"Face shields are really a portable version of the same basic technology," he said.

"It's about providing a physical barrier between you and someone else who might be infected."

For the shield to be effective, he says it has to cover the face from the forehead to below the chin and wrap around the sides of the face, too.

Hear Entendre Qubec is launching an online campaign to buy more face shields.

Wager says they're also working with community partners to get a local wholesaler to make masks with a clear piece in front of the mouth.

"We're hoping by the end of next week that we'll have an answer and that we'll be able to order some at least be able to supply them to our members that would like to buy them," she said.