Veterans Affairs drops mask requirement for all agency medical offices

Any of us that have hearing issues hate the masking and barriers. The fact that it made it very difficult to communicate was the major reason that I finally got hearing aids. Most people don't seem to understand the mask muffles the sound and people are talking in a "normal" tone really aren't. It's still difficult even with hearing aids, but at least I don't feel like I'm walking around with a box on my head.
I taught and participated in Swiftwater Rescue for some 10+years, which required me to maintain a more than basic level of first aid for remote locations. Never in those 10 years nor my Army time was gloves, face shields, or masking used to prevent viral respiratory infections and the Pre-Covid studies on Masking had the same results as the studies coming out of the Covid Pandemic, Masking has minimal or no effect on transmission of viral respiratory diseases.

Finally they are one of the last to do this