Breaking: Lipreaders’ companions given exemption on face coverings on public transport

The UK Government has announced that those “travelling with, or providing assistance to, someone who relies on lip reading to communicate” will be excused from wearing a face covering on public transport.

The news comes as it becomes mandatory for passengers to wear the protective equipment on busses, trains and more.

Roger Wicks, from Action on Hearing Loss, said the charity is “thrilled” that the Government has taken their recommendations on board.

“Many with hearing loss rely on lipreading to communicate and face coverings make this impossible. Our driving force at the moment is to ensure that people with hearing loss can communicate whilst also protecting themselves and others,” he said.

BREAKING NEWS! People now exempt from face coverings if they are travelling with or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading to communicate. Well done @ActionOnHearing @RogerWicks for campaigning on this! More details here: https://t.co/tRQZv0jmjh

— Michael Wilkinson (@ThatMichaelW) June 15, 2020

It also follows survey results released in May, which revealed that 79% of respondents believe face masks “will make life with hearing loss or deafness much harder”.

Sally Shaw, founder of Ideas for Ears said of the survey: “Face masks, two-metre distancing and other challenges are adding considerable strain and burden to people with hearing loss as they seek to stay in touch with family and friends, use important services, and navigate workplace communication.

“To prevent a downward cycle of isolation and exclusion, there is a need to identify the most helpful and realistic actions that can reduce the impact.

“This is likely to involve a combination of solutions that are about the behaviour of people and the use of technology and equipment,” she adds.

Later that month, a joint letter by nine charities – led by the National Deaf Children’s Society – was sent to Public Health England and NHS England, calling for them to commission transparent face masks for deaf people.

Susan Daniels, Chief Executive at NDCS, said: “This is an extremely challenging time for everyone and we’re relying on each other’s support, understanding and patience to get through it.

“Deaf people are no exception and if face masks or coverings become widespread, they could experience months of misery as they struggle to understand what is said to them.

“This could be even harder for children, who may not have the confidence to keep asking for things to be repeated and often find it easier to just pretend they understand,” she said.

Deaf professionals also expressed their concerns over face coverings, writing in an open letter that by the coverings obscuring half of a person’s face, it makes “communication more difficult, and in many cases, impossible” for deaf and hard of hearing people.

The full UK Government guidance, including exemptions, is available to view on their website.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is a mildly deaf freelance journalist and blogger from Bedfordshire. He wears bilateral hearing aids and can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.