The last time we saw people using face masks liberally was during the swine flu scare a while ago. Since then, a lot of things changed in the world, but the comeback of facemasks had been as unwanted, as it was unexpected.
When Facemasks Reappeared in 2019
It has been over two years since, the facemask made its comeback, but this time at a global scale. As governments around the world made them mandatory as a precaution against catching the COVID-19 Virus, our habit of walking out of home and turning back halfway because we realized that we’ve forgotten our masks, turned to paranoia, with some people choosing to wear two masks at a time, even when inside their own home.
But here’s where we learnt something first hand – the human spirit is supremely adaptable. Within a short span of time, we can get used to almost any situation. It is almost like an ice cube left in a glass. First we are cold to it, then we thaw, and once melted, adapt to the shape of the vessel placed in.
On one hand, the question, specially in a situation like this, is what can we do about it, after all, but on the other, the question shifts to what can we do about this situation, after all – giving birth to a new wave of creativity in the midst of all the chaos.
The Masked Chaos
Hospitals felt like busy railway stations and airports. Doctors and nurses running around, trying to do the best they could in an ever-changing landscape. And people like us civilians, locked up home trying to keep our heads on our shoulders, stopping to salute those who were doing so much more than we might have been able to, given the situation, specially the “front-line workers” and more.
Helpless spectators to things around, for many of us, the pandemic definitely felt like a science fiction movie with a virus attacking the planet, and all of us fighting it like little superheroes with our weapon – the small plastic bottle of sanitizer, soap, and the omnipresent stylish facemasks!
Come 2022
It is almost the end of the beginning of 2022 now, and as the virus continues resurfacing in new variants, so do our masks. With so many options to choose from we have disposable masks, fabric masks, coloured masks, printed masks, branded masks, customizable masks, masks for adults, masks for kids, masks for infants, and so on…
While surgical masks are known to be most effective for the new variant, the concept of double masking has also become quite common. In that case, a lot of people choose to use the plain surgical mask on the inside, and then a stylish face mask on the outside.
Masking Up, now, more than ever
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommend that everyone who is above 2 years old to wear masks, specifically in public indoor settings to protect themselves and others from the spread of the Corona virus.
That's especially true if you're in an area of the country with high or substantial corona virus transmission right now. (More than 90% of counties are currently experiencing high transmission, according to CDC data.)
You might also want to consider to continue wearing a mask in an outdoor setting if it’s crowded or you'll be in close contact with people who aren’t fully vaccinated. And if you're immunocompromised, you should continue to take as many precautions as you can even if you're fully vaccinated.
Our Two-pence on the Subject
Personally, we have always worked on products that amplify an individual’s personality. In other words, we believe that wearing masks can be super fun.
For starters, it takes a little while for someone to recognize you, so you can safeguard your privacy for at an insignificant cost ☺ Secondly, when you do step out for things like work etc., you can get away with your unkempt moustaches, beards, and other things (for men and women – you have to agree, the lockdown has messed up the parlour routines), hiding behind a mask that’s as stylish as masks can be.
Thirdly, with the number of prints, colours, and collections available today, you can play mix and match with your mask and outfit. We’re sure you’ve seen how even wedding gowns and lehengas today come with a matching mask now.
In Conclusion:
We probably need to understand that masks aren’t going out of fashion any time soon anymore, but do you honestly remember life before the virus and masks? Because, at this point, we certainly don’t.
For us however, this is just a time where we’re going to be doing the coolest things with our stylish face masks, documenting them, and then pulling them out when we’re old and grey, to show to our next generation just how awesome we’ve been.
Until then, stay safe, stay healthy and keep your damned mask on!
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