As an aside, likely prompted by other cultures that wear masks, either to avoid pollution or disease, I’m considering wearing masks more often. The primary reason is to reduce exposure to particulate matter, as PM 2.5 is shown to correlate, if not cause, declines in mental function, as well as reduced well-being and health (see studies below). Air quality in NYC is good, not great, and occasionally ventures into moderate, or even unhealthy for sensitive groups, as when the west of the US burned. It might not be something I do every day, but certainly on days when the air quality is less than good.
Another pandemic practice, hand washing, will also stay. When the pandemic started, I saw articles that quoted medical professionals who thought that hand washing was great, to avoid additional infections and disease, and not just for COVID. Not that I was unwashed before, but…
A sampling of articles related to PM 2.5
It should be noted, some of these studies are simply correlative, and not proof of a causal relationship.
Exposure to PM 2.5 pollution linked to brain | EurekAlert!
Specific components of air pollution identified as more harmful than others | EurekAlert!
Short-term exposure to air pollution may impede cognition; Aspirin could help | EurekAlert!
Improving air quality reduces dementia risk, multiple studies suggest | EurekAlert!