Kentucky Student Creates Face Masks For Differently Abled Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

After observing shortages of medical supplies amid the coronavirus outbreak, Eastern Kentucky University student Ashley Lawrence designed two face masks, both with transparent screens around the mouth, for deaf and hard of hearing community.

"I felt like there was a huge population that was being looked over. We're all panicking right now and so a lot of people are just not being thought of," Lawrence said in an interview with LEX18.

Lawrence, 21, along with the help of her mother and people involved in the project, designed these masks that feature a visible area around the mouth like a transparent screen, that allows people who can speech read understand the person from the community wearing the mask.

She has also set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for costs related to making and conveyance of these masks, as she thinks these masks to the needy should be free of cost.

Majoring in deaf education, Lawrence posted these two face masks on facebook, setting up a page for the project "to keep people who are helping up-to-date."

Masks are now in high demand and Lawrence plans to send the pattern and tutorial on how to make them to anyone interested in sewing the masks to distribute in their communities, according to CBS News.