Real Journalism by Leeds Hacks

New mask mandate concerns those with invisible disabilities

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A woman wearing a face covering exemption badge
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Those with invisible disabilities are concerned about the use of false sunflower lanyards and exemption badges for face coverings as it undermines their disability.

Boris Johnson has recently announced that face-coverings are now mandatory in certain settings such as public transport and shops, and there are fears that this will affect those who wear sunflower lanyards.

According to the National Union of Journalists, 70% of those with a disability in the UK have a hidden disability, which is a disability or health condition which is not immediately obvious.

This could be anything from autism to diabetes or epilepsy.

The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower was launched in 2016 at London Gatwick Airport, but since then it has been adopted globally by all major airports and venues in the UK including shops, public transport, emergency services as well as businesses and organisations.

Organisations offer those with non-obvious disabilities a sunflower lanyard to discreetly indicate to those around that they may need additional support, and also signals that they are exempt from wearing a mask.

Some of those with invisible disabilities believe that it is too easy for people to pretend to need extra support by faking illnesses in order to avoid the mandate.

Those with these disabilities feel it undermines the effectiveness of the sunflower lanyard and takes away from the importance of their disability.

Meg Drew, a pharmacist from Leeds, said “I am exempt from wearing a mask because I have anxiety. It is really difficult to understand whether someone has a hidden disability or not. Obviously you cannot say to someone ‘I do not think you need this lanyard’, but people do wear them when they do not need them just because they do not want to wear a mask’.”

Various councils around the country have cracked down on the unlawful sale of sunflower lanyards and mask exemption badges on sites such as eBay in an attempt to stop this from continuing to happen.

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