As the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect the lives of people all over the world, the role that face masks have to play in limiting the spread of the virus has become more and more prominent.
Face coverings are now mandatory in certain settings in some countries. For instance, in the United Kingdom, where citizens are required to wear them in shops and on public transport, among other settings.
And in the US, many supermarkets and establishments like Walmart require all of their customers to don protective face coverings prior to entering.
It is true that we're all adjusting to a new semblance of normalcy at the moment, yet it is vital that in the process of doing so we don't overlook those for whom adapting to coronavirus safety measures might be more challenging.
Earlier this year, we brought you the story of doctors and healthcare workers who came up with a wonderful idea to help patients feel more at ease while being treated in hospital in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
Due to the necessary PPE healthcare workers wear while treating patients with COVID-19, their faces are mostly obscured. And so, the idea of doctors and nurses putting pictures of their faces on their PPE so patients can see who they are being treated by was born.
However, back in 2017, a group of John Hopkins University students had already anticipated this issue, and thus, created a product that has proven to be particularly prescient during the coronavirus pandemic.
The ClearMask™ is the "first fully transparent, FDA-cleared surgical mask," which provides clarity of communication and a human connection for all.
This level of communication is vital in medical settings. Dr. Zachary Featherstone explains on the ClearMask website the value of transparent face masks for deaf and hard of hearing individuals.
Featherstone says:
"By wearing a standard surgical mask, we’re immediately placing a communication barrier between ourselves and our patients, especially those who rely heavily on visual communication, including deaf and hard of hearing individuals.
"The masks block visual cues—including facial expressions, lip-reading, and emotions—all of which are critical for deaf and hard of hearing people to fully communicate and participate in the course of care.
"The ClearMask reduces miscommunication and confusion, while adhering to safety and infection control protocol."
The inspiration for the ClearMask™ comes from its co-founder Allysa Dittmar, who is deaf.
She found traditional surgical masks that blocked her providers' faces impeded effective communication and safety during surgery.
And since the pandemic, per the ClearMask website, the company has "worked with state emergency management agencies, hospitals, clinics, schools, essential workers, and different communities in need to get the masks out to as many people as possible."
VT spoke to co-founder Allysa Dittmar about the company's journey thus far.
She said of the company's growth since its inception in 2017:
"We have grown from a small startup of four Johns Hopkins students back in 2017 to a full company in 2020 selling millions of the ClearMask to government agencies, hospitals, companies, schools, and many others."
And of the standout memory from the ClearMask's journey thus far, Allysa Dittmar told VT:
"All of us agreed that our favorite memory was getting the email notification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that the ClearMask received full FDA clearance (approval) on April 6, 2020. It marked a significant milestone for our company and it is a testament to our team's hard work over the past three years."
Since the coronavirus pandemic struck, the value of these transparent face masks has been thrown into even sharper relief.
Millions of ClearMasks have been provided by the company thus far, according to a company press release:
"There has been a widespread and innate need to see each others’ faces, not only among deaf and hard of hearing people, but everyone. The ClearMask™ reflects universal design and benefits many people from diverse backgrounds."
Now, perhaps more than ever before, the connections we make with each other - whether that be on a Zoom call, or in-person from a social distance - are vitally important.
Wonderful innovations like the ClearMask™ are allowing those connections to continue even as we maintain our distance, while making sure that deaf and hard of hearing individuals are not left behind.
