Members of the deaf or hard-of-hearing community who are hospitalized with COVID-19 may have great difficulty communicating with nurses and doctors, according to an article in the LA Times.
Jennylee Bruno, a deaf woman profiled in the article who spent time in a coronavirus ward, typically reads lips. However, all the health care workers entering her room wore masks, and the video interpretation system provided froze so often, staff stopped using it, she said.
Another challenge during the pandemic, is finding personal protective equipment for interpreters, such as masks with transparent windows that will allow their lips to be seen by patients.
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Source: LA Times