Will face masks be a regular part of life post-pandemic?

Public health experts are discussing the potential benefits of wearing masks even after the coronavirus pandemic has ended, citing lower cases of respiratory viruses this past winter, a broader understanding of how viruses travel among people, and an increased comfort in using face coverings when inside.

“It is conceivable that as we go on, a year or two or more from now, that during certain seasonal periods when you have respiratory-borne viruses like the flu, people might actually elect to wear masks to diminish the likelihood that you’ll spread these...