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Letter: Mask-wearing etiquette for the hard of hearing

(Rick Egan | Tribune file photo) Pedestrians wear masks as they walk on Main Street in Salt Lake City, on Thursday, July 9, 2020.

I am 75, I wear glasses and I wear hearing aids. My ears are already carrying a load. Nevertheless, I wear a mask when in public because I believe it protects me and those around me. So, although hooking a mask over my ears is more of an inconvenience for me than for most people, I want to do my part to crush this virus that is among us. Please wear a mask.

Having said that, I would like to plead for a small exception. Even with hearing aids, I have great difficulty hearing and understanding what people say. In recent years I have come to rely heavily on reading people’s lips. I see what they say more than I hear what they say. And when people wear masks it is often impossible for me to understand them. There are many people like me who struggle with hearing and who are reluctant to appear in public. So, if someone points to their ears and says they cannot hear you, please drop down your mask for a moment. They will be more grateful than you know.

F. Neil Brady, Orem

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