Transparent face coverings (FOI)

Request

Uk Government advice: "Transparent face coverings may be worn by those who communicate through lip-reading or facial expressions"

A

Does Jersey have any similar advice and if so could you point me where, as I can't find it in the government guidance? Has this been discussed by STAC?

The Royal National Institution for the Deaf says:

"Many of our supporters would prefer people to wear face coverings with clear panels in public settings. This is because they allow deaf people and those with hearing loss or tinnitus to lipread. People who are deaf or have hearing loss have overwhelmingly said that these face coverings are more helpful than the standard coverings when communicating."

While I appreciate this may not be possible in clinical settings such as the hospital, there appears to be no guidance from the government on whether they are allowed in care home settings, where visitors often are speaking to elderly relatives who have difficulty hearing and need to see lips moving to help them hear.

B

Has this been discussed by STAC or included in any of the Government guidance sent to care homes in Jersey?

C

Has there been any advice from the Law Officers on whether a refusal to allow such face coverings would be discrimination under the Discrimination (Jersey) Law?

Response

A

Government of Jersey advice on masks and visors for both the public and businesses is publicly available on www.gov.je As the information requested is publicly available, Article 23 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied.

Wearing a mask or mouth and nose covering (gov.je)

B

A review of STAC minutes and Covid-19 guidance to care homes has been undertaken. The review confirmed that there is no record of transparent face coverings having been discussed.

The latest guidance to care homes is available publicly on www.gov.je

COVID-19 Information (Jersey Care Commission)

C

No.

Article applied

Article 23 - Information accessible to applicant by other means

(1)     Information is absolutely exempt information if it is reasonably available to the applicant, otherwise than under this Law, whether or not free of charge.

(2)     A scheduled public authority that refuses an application for information on this ground must make reasonable efforts to inform the applicant where the applicant may obtain the information.