Visors may be worn in schools by children with hearing difficulties

Parents of children who are hard of hearing or deaf feared they would be 'left behind' both academically and socially.

Schools should consider the use of visors over masks when it comes to students with hearing loss, the Department of Education has said.

It comes as new guidelines for children aged from nine upwards — those in third class and above — to wear masks while at school took effect last week, following advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet).