The new normal is that we have vaccines, medications, and strategies to prevent, treat, and control COVID-19.
. Face mask use can be facilitated by making high quality masks freely and widely available. We also must recognize how contentious the face mask issue has become and ask ourselves what their role is in layered mitigation strategies. For example, focusing on ventilation and COVID-19 screening alone may be sufficient to control COVID-19 spread without face mask use. The new normal means that we also need to be respectful of personal, business or community choices to wear or not wear a face mask.
Barring further severe waves of infection, our collective response will be transitioning to individual persons, businesses, or local organizations. We now have vaccines, medications, and strategies to prevent, treat, and control COVID-19. As before, public health will need to continue its critical role in this pandemic and ensure that COVID-19 control tools and therapeutics are available.