The U.S. Food and Drug Administration just approved the first fully transparent surgical mask made by a Baltimore company.
The masks are especially helpful to communicate with hard-of-hearing patients and put children at ease because they can now see a doctor's facial expressions.
BALTIMORE.EXPERTS SAY 55 PERCENT OFCOMMUNICATION IS VISUAL THESEMASKS PREVENT SEEING FACIALEXPRESSIONS AND PICKING UPVISUAL CUES.AND NOW THERE’S ANOTHER OPTION.THEY SEE A SMILE IS THE GREATESTWAY TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF, BUTIMPOSSIBLE TO SEE WHILE WEARINGA MASK WE CAN SEE YOU SMILE.I KNOW RIGHT AND FOR DR.JENNIFER REISSMAN WHO WORKS WITHDEAF CHILDREN AT KENNEDY KRIEGERINSTITUTE A SMILE MAKES ALL THEDIFFERENCE IN THE WORLDTRADITIONAL MASTER SURGICAL MASKTHAT COVER UP OUR MOUTH MAKE ITREALLY HARD TO COMMUNICATE ANDSO BEING ABLE TO ACTUALLY HAVEFULL ACCESS TO FACIAL EXPRESSIONWITH SOMETHING THAT’S REALLYCRUCIAL TO US.IT’S A BIG CHANGE WHEN THEYACTUALLY SEE FACIAL EXPRESSIONTHE YOUR MASK WAS INVENTED OUTOF NECESSITY THREE YEARS AGOCOMPANY CO-FOUNDER ALYSSADITTMAR WHO IS DEAF HAD TROUBLECOMMUNICATING WITH OPERATINGROOM DOCTORS AFTER HERINTERPRETER DIDN’T SHOW UP.SHE COULD LIP-READ BUT THESURGICAL MASKS MADE THATIMPOSSIBLE AND EVENTUALLY STOPSTRYING TO COMMUNICATE IT ANDTREATED HER LIKE A DOLL AND ITWAS A VERY DEHUMANIZINGEXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF US I ANDWHEN SHE TOLD ME THE STORY ITHOUGHT WHY DON’T WE BUY A YOU?AND WE LOOKED ONLINE WHERE YOUREALIZED.NO ONE HAD DONE THIS YET.THEY DECIDED ON THE SPOT.YOU CREATE ONE JOHNS HOPKINSUNIVERSITY GRADUATE STUDENTS ANDALUMNI HELPED TO DEVELOP THEMASK.IT’S FDA APPROVED.THE PLASTIC DOESN’T FOG AND IT’SADJUSTABLE.THE CLEAR MASK IS BECOMINGSTANDARD PPE AND MEDICALINSTITUTIONS.IT’S ALSO GROWING IN POPULARITYWITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC.THE CODER PANDEMIC HAS REALLYMADE CONSCIOUS WHAT A LOT OF USFEEL SUBCONSCIOUSLY IN THAT HOWMUCH WE RELY ON SEEING PEOPLE’SFACES WHEN WE INTERACT WITH THEMAND BEING ABLE TO SEE WHO WERETALKING TO IS FUNDAMENTAL TO HOWWE AS HUMAN BEINGS COMMUNICATEAND CONNECT IN ADDITION TOMEDICAL FACILITIES CLEAR MASKSARE BEING MARKETED TO THEGENERAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS DAYCARERETAIL AND THE HOSPITALITYINDUSTRY REPORTING FROM N
