COVID-19 masks and breathing devices: The compelling history of today’s most vital resources
In February 2020, amid growing concerns of the novel coronavirus, one forward-looking French fashion designer, Marine Serre, had her models wear facemasks that matched their trendy ensembles on the catwalk at Paris’ Fashion Week. Fast forward to today. So much has changed in the last year and a half. Facemasks have become the norm to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 while the world continues to try and rebound while also preparing for new variants of the deadly virus.
For more than a century breathing masks have been a critical component in personal protective equipment (PPE) for a wide breadth of medical and industrial occupations. Now, of course, in the midst of this global pandemic, they have become a key line of defense for the general population.