I work part-time at an auto parts store. I had a customer last week who was completely deaf.
I pulled down my mask (required by my employer) for a second and pointed to my mouth and asked if he read lips. He said, “A little.”
I spent the rest of this interaction communicating with this customer by typing messages into the Notes app on my smartphone. But this got me thinking: “How do deaf people communicate when everyone is wearing a mask?”
Someone suggested clear or translucent masks that allow a hearing-impaired person to read lips. What are their limitations?
I wonder if the Americans With Disabilities Act might have an issue with mask requirements when dealing with hearing-impaired persons?
Richard Kahn
Hudson, NH
