Editorial: Mask solution could be simple smile

Sometimes addressing one problem can solve others.

It’s the happy accident of a Botox shot that could smooth out wrinkles or tame migraines, or the Kleenex that was intended to polish eyeglasses but became better known for wiping noses.

You never know just what issues an invention will address.

Rose Morris’ Hampton Township company Abram’s Nation works with people who have disabilities, making safety beds. That connection made her think about how the masks being used to keep the spread of covid-19 at bay could be more functional. She decided to make her own, giving them a clear vinyl front that would allow the mouth to be visible.

The first thought is for those with hearing needs, making it possible to read lips. But Morris saw a bigger issue.

“It’s not just for those who are deaf,” she said. “It’s for children who are just becoming verbal. It’s for kids to be able to see their daycare provider or school teacher.”

That is a fantastic thought, and not the kind of thing most people would automatically leap to when creating a mask. It’s an adaptation that comes from exposure and experience.

And maybe that kind of adaptation could have yet another use.

With long-range plans for dealing with the coronavirus pandemic stretching further and further into the future and rollbacks of restrictions being followed by spiking numbers and renewed responses all over the country, it seems like masks aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

At the same time, masks are polarizing. Some people are adamant about wearing them and others are vehemently opposed.

Maybe part of the problem is not just that they separate us from the virus particles. Maybe it’s that they separate us from each other.

We can’t see a smile or a frown, a wince or a grimace. That keeps us from seeing when we land a good joke or when a poorly thought phrase hurts. At a time when we need connection to others more than ever, a mask might feel like a locked gate keeping us apart.

But a mask that lets us see the look on someone’s face when they speak to us might change that game. Something as simple as the ability to see a smile might make it easier to wear a mask, and that in turn might save a life.