See-through coronavirus face masks let hearing-impaired physical therapist keep working

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The future of masks in age of COVID-19

As people adapt to the new reality of coronavirus, the mask has become a place for innovation.

As researchers push for the widespread use of face coverings to combat coronavirus, one health professional came up with a creative way to help her hearing-impaired employee, who relies on lip-reading to communicate.

At Mission Hospital in south Orange County, California, hearing-impaired physical therapist Susan Adams said she became concerned that masking requirements might put her out of a job if she could no longer read lips.

However, her supervisor, Michelle Darrow, started sewing protective equipment with a clear panel over the mouth area that would allow Adams to see her co-workers’ lip movements, The OC Register reported.

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“I had a profound sense of gratitude because without Michelle advocating for me, I wouldn’t be working,” Adams, told the paper.

“It means so much to be able to work.”

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Darrow has made more than 120 custom masks with help from donors, according to a local news outlet, with the masks being distributed to patients and colleagues.

As Fox News previously reported, researchers have said lockdown measures were insufficient to prevent the further spread of the virus – and were advocating for the “universal adoption of facemasks by the public” as a way to safely reopen countries before a vaccine becomes available.

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Those recommendations came as some states were combating a spike in coronavirus cases, including Texas, South Carolina and Oregon.

The U.S. surpassed 2 million confirmed cases this week.