In the weeks leading up to Christmas, large crowds gather in various places such as shopping centers, warehouse stores, airports, and train stations. However, one noticeable absence is the lack of face masks. Unlike three years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic's first winter holidays, mask-wearing has significantly decreased, even as the long-lasting effects of the virus continue. Widespread mask mandates are a thing of the past, representing a glimpse into what once was.

Mask-wearing has become a new way of life in America, despite the majority of people not wearing them regularly. The pandemic introduced this behavior and norm, unlike services such as home delivery of food, which already existed before COVID-19. According to Brooke Tully, a strategist working on behavior change, masks are now just another part of life that happens in the country.

Currently, mask-wearing tends to be situational, depending on the environment and circumstances. For example, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center hospital system recently reinstated a mask mandate due to an increase in respiratory viruses. Individuals like Sally Kiser from North Carolina always carry a mask with them because they never know when it might be necessary. Kiser believes that wearing a mask has become a new paradigm in the world we live in.

In the early days of the pandemic, the demand for masks skyrocketed as people feared catching COVID-19. Terms like “N95” entered our vocabularies, along with the concept of mask mandates. However, as mandates were lifted, the demand for masks decreased significantly. Nonprofit organization Project N95, which was created to help people find quality masks, even announced that it would stop sales due to a lack of interest.

Anne Miller, the executive director of Project N95, expected widespread mask usage to become the norm, similar to other cultures and parts of the world where masks are worn as a precautionary measure. However, Markus Kemmelmeier, a sociology professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, explains that norms don't always work that way. He compares the resistance to seatbelts and seatbelt laws in the past as an example of how practices can or cannot take hold in society.

To find a balance, the Park Slope Co-op in Brooklyn recently implemented mask-required days on Wednesdays and Thursdays. This measure aims to protect immunocompromised individuals who are more vulnerable to respiratory ailments. By designating specific days, the co-op minimizes any negative financial impact from the decision. Shoppers, like Aron Halberstam, comply with the requirement without resistance, understanding the importance of protecting others.

Overall, the culture has shifted, and mask-wearing is now a personal choice rather than a government requirement. People still wear masks in crowded places or while traveling, based on their own reasons. Masks have found a niche in society, adapting to various needs, such as using them during poor air quality caused by wildfires. As long as there are needs, mask-wearing will continue to survive as part of daily life.