Deaf Americans are urging the White House to use sign language interpreters at coronavirus briefings

Posted by: Staff Writer on July 3, 2020

(CNN)The US Census Bureau estimates that about 11.5 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss. Yet months into the coronavirus pandemic, the White House still does not have American Sign Language interpreters at its televised public health press briefings.

Many in the Deaf community say they are growing wary of not having important information disseminated to them through qualified sign language interpreters.

"I'm sad, angry and frustrated for myself and my community," Melissa "echo" Greenlee, founder and CEO of deaffriendly.com, a consumer review platform for the deaf and hard of hearing community, told CNN in an email. "I'm so tired of being left out and the last to know anything."

As the pandemic continues to upend daily life, Greenlee, and several deaf advocacy groups, are fighting to have interpreters at these briefings so they, too, can get important updates about the rapidly changing developments in the coronavirus fight.

Read the full CNN article here.

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