The coronavirus pandemic has been hard on people from all walks of life, ethnicities, class, and communities. Now in an attempt to cater to the portion of the population that is differently-abled and relies heavily on communication based on face and lip expressions, UK nurses have decided to acquire transparent masks.
Identifying the health issue during a time when most health professionals and population is required to wear face coverings, the government has decided to entertain this request and will be delivering 250,000 transparent face masks to NHS and the health care workers over the course of the coming weeks.
The effort to provide such masks was all to aid communication for differently-abled persons that require care. Conditions such as dementia, autism, and hearing loss affect the behaviors of those that have the, therefore the latest drive will aid nurses as well as other members of the staff to be able to talk to such people during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Jim Blair is a learning disability consultant nurse. He believes this is a good move especially for those that will benefit from being able to see the caretakers’ faces and mouths.
Blair thinks these transparent, anti-fogging masks will help make communication easier and more intimate especially for people who find it scary otherwise.
He added the use of these transparent masks will make the platform a better place for interaction and will help care workers provide support, treatment, and care that feels more acceptable and safer for both those receiving care and providing it during the coronavirus pandemic.
These masks are not intended to filter and are produced by a company in the US called ClearMask. They are to be used only one and are free of latex. They are instructed to be work indoors and preferably in an environment that has ventilation, less humidity, and is at room temperature.
The government says the first batch of masks has already reached the NHS and further mask deliveries will also arrive in due course in the coming weeks.
Helen Whately is the Minister for care. She says if this drive proves effective and successful, she will increase the supply so that whenever one is required it is always available.
She acknowledges that communication is a vital part of the health and care system and therefore those receiving care and those providing it will benefit from such a drive.
Since the pandemic has increased many challenges for the health and care sector, the government needs to continue to solve such challenges with simple and easy solutions to support those that need it.
This might mean a better more effective way of providing care to differently-abled individuals that have also suffered a difficult treatment pattern due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The latest pilot system will ensure constant access to clear masks to providers of social care. The system will also be connected to local forums of resilience which are networks consisting of representatives from different public services in a given area. These will include services such as local authorities, the NHS, and emergency services.
In the future, therefore, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England will work together for the supply of future demands.
