MEMBERS OF DEAF COMMUNITY RESPOND TO LOCAL MASK ORDINANCES

We spoke to one man who is deaf and he says masks can make it difficult to communicate because he needs to be able to read people's lips.

In north alabama.

Members of the hearing impaired community say they want to see some changes made to local mask ordinances that are being considered... we spoke to one man who is deaf and he says masks can make it difficult to communicate because he needs to be able to read people's lips.

Waay 31's casey albritton is live at the alabama institute for deaf and blind huntsville regional center with how masks impact people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Casey?

Right now i'm smiling--and now i'm frowning--but it's hard to tell the difference because of the mask i'm wearing-- one man i spoke to says the deaf community relies heavily on these facial expressions to communicate... so he wants to see local ordinances revised to include see-through masks.

"it's their responsibility and our responsibility to wear a mask and cooperate with the health requirement."

Michal deuel is deaf and works with the alabama institute for deaf and blind-- lauren cash is translating for him... deuel says with so many people wearing masks during the pandemic, it's been difficult to communicate.

"i miss if they are trying to talk to me or not.

I don't want to be rude but it's hard for me to see if they are actually trying to talk to me."

He says the deaf and hard of hearing community relies heavily on lip-reading and facial expressions.

"a hearing person can hear if someone is mad or angry or sad or happy.

We depend on facial expressions to stimulate that communication."

Deuel says he wants to see some people in the community wear clear masks-- "doctors offices, nurses, emts.

I'd like to see them wear clear masks.

Walmart and some of the restaurants with cashiers.

They require us to communicate with them a lot."

Currently the madison county mask ordinance being considered does reference the deaf and hard of hearing community briefly.

It says "the requirement will not apply when a person who is hearing-impaired needs to see the mouth of someone wearing a face covering to communicate."

The ordinance being considered in decatur however, does not.

But deuel says he's not satisfied with madison county's ordinance.

"i don't want to reduce my safety for a sensibility to communicate."

He says he understands the need to wear a mask--but requiring some people to wear clear masks would help.

"we are the same.

We are the same in this situation.

It's a horrible pandemic and we are going through this the same as the hearing people."

The alabama department of public heatlh tells us that the state health officer received madison county's mask ordinance proposal last week.

Live in huntsville, casey albritton, waay 31 news.

The alabama department of public heatlh tells us that the state health officer received madison county's mask ordinance proposal last week.

Live in huntsville, casey albritton, waay