“People like us, we think differently, don’t we? We are different. We do all the things that others do. But when it comes down to it, we don’t need anyone else. We’re happy doing what we do and having obligation interferes with that. And sometimes I think we don’t even need ourselves. What’s most important is to find out whether we’re right or not.”
― Simon Morden, Equations of Life
Waking up in the morning today as the weather is not so nice to bring the sunshine yet. We are amid the lockdown for the second time in New Zealand. Why? Recently there was a new variant, COVID19, officially called Delta COVID, in greater Auckland early this year.
Many people’s lives have burdens by the guidelines of Level 4 and are forced to close many businesses, work, and follow restricted rules in public Hospitals, Polices, Fire departments, and the list goes on. The most significant impact of the loss is financial, getting food suppliers to deliver to each household, especially elderly people’s homes and disabled people in Greater Auckland regions. Many essential workers are working from home, in the hospitals, Fire Departments, Police, in the Resthomes, and the list goes on while others are not ‘essential’ workers stay home with their children and try to find something to do home.
The most significant impact is the social services such as Budgeting and Food Parcel services. They are seeking out more foods coming in so the team can continue to deliver to the people who can not come to supermarkets in the Greater Auckland regions.
While the rest of New Zealand are in Level 2, they are doing well except for the lack of awareness where many disabled people and several elderly people can not wear cover masks in public. Several outcries were harassed and bullied by other people, telling them that disabled people must wear masks or not come to the supermarket. Many D/deaf people face difficulty lip-reading or seeing other people’s facial expressions with a cover mask. Also, the lack of awareness in NZSL (New Zealand Sign Language) in public shops, supermarkets and pharmacies. It has been a constant battle between D/deaf people and people in public places through communication.
Jean with N95 mask
The DPAs (Disabled People Assembly), DPOs (Disabled People Organisation) and Deaf Aotearoa have not done much action. This year, MOH and DPAs have exemption cards to allow anyone who has difficulty breathing, health condition even D/deaf can not wear the mask. It is not really working because there are still messages such as disabled people have been hurt, harassed or bullied by other people in public shops. DPAs asked the journalists to write an article and printed it in the media to spread around. Not everyone has read the article. I have been in touch and inform the staff at the high level in Waikato Hospital. They ARE looking at the option of wearing a clear transparent mask to meet their financial budget, staff training and ordering the number of clear mask boxes annually. They have a transparent shield that works well if any nurses can remove their cover mask in their comfort zone.
The hospital and the mask manufacturing are working on a clear/transparent mask when anyone wears glasses to prevent fogging up the cover. I ordered two masks from the company which I am happy to pay for this. In many companies and the mask manufacture business in New Zealand, I suggest you consider making one available in New Zealand.
The next step was to start teaching people in public about wearing masks and the ability to communicate with any D/deaf people through sign language, gestures, and writing down or using mobile notes. I give you an example of yesterday activity in Chartwell Westfield Mall with an elderly Deaf with disabilities man while I am a deaf essential worker.
I took a deaf elderly man – Henry (not real name), to the bank while he was not wearing a mask, and I wore a mask until I removed my mask for him to lip read me. Henry was using the shopping trolley for his support balance. The staff knew us well. Prior arrived at the desk to make a cash withdrawal, one staff where we were standing was not know to us, but the other staff stand next to this staff spoke and explained we were deaf. This staff removed the mask, and we lip read. This staff made the cash withdrawal processing and used gestures while wearing the mask. The people who came inside the same room overheard while I was working and communicating with Henry. These people realised how important for D/deaf people and the need to lip read/gestures/write down anywhere we go. Two people said they never thought about this or met any Deaf people before, which is different from Hard of Hearing elderly people.
After leaving the bank, we walked to the next shop as I wore a mask, and Henry did not. We approached one queue line at the entrance of the Books Shop. Henry does not want to wait in a queue. I walked along the side of the people who stayed and saw one of the staff at the counter, for she knew Henry and me. I wore a badge of my workplace and my first name on my lovely jersey. She let us in and explained that I am a deaf essential worker for Henry. Surprised that these people who waited in the queue accepted us to walk through and continue doing a quick shop around the Books Shop. Then the next shop was the Money Exchanges, a Fijian Indian chap who had his own cultural perspective. I explained to him that we are deaf and the need to lip read or gestures. He politely accepted for we are Deaf and a new experience for this staff. He used gestures and exchanged Henry’s NZ notes for UK pounds plus a little note to say, please, 50cents required.
Henry and I walked on to the Pharmacy to get a bottle of showering cream while Henry walked on to the supermarket. I told Henry to wait at the entrance of the supermarket. Before arriving at the entrance of the supermarket, where is Henry? I asked the staff who keep the ‘counter number crushing’ hand device of the people inside the supermarket. I told this staff I am deaf and have you see a deaf elderly man with a grey jacket. This staff said by pointing toward inside the supermarket but asking about using mobile COVID tracker. I told this staff that Henry hated mobile, but I have one with me wherever I go and make a note for his niece, and of course, I said Henry is deaf. The staff was surprised for not knowing Henry is Deaf because he did not tell this staff. This staff let me in until I found Henry with the mask on poorly fitting. I recorrect his mask fitting properly, so he was comfortable with it.
Henry and I did not have any lousy drama, no received abuse words, people who saw us and they were respectful to us by learning how to value we Deaf people need to lip read, sign language, gestures even write down.
Next week something exciting and to share more stories. It will be an International Week of Deaf People, and there are different themes each day.
Life in Eureka 
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