Face masks have become an increasingly important part of society throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and while they help stop the spread of the virus, they also make communicating effectively more challenging.
According to Eleonor Shaw, Speech Language Pathologist with the Rehabilitation Institute of Northeast Georgia Medical Center, research shows masks can reduce the volume of a person’s speech by between three to 12 decibels.
When wearing a mask, people are also unable to use visual cues, such as the movement of another person’s mouth, to fully comprehend what is being said. The drop in vocal volume and lack of visual cues can cause a speaker to strain their voice to communicate effectively, according to Shaw.