Remember when we stressed about where to buy masks? For the majority of 2020, face masks were one of the most sought-after products online. People searched high and low for N95 masks, resorting to making their own reusable cloth versions when they couldn’t find professional grade. Nowadays, it’s much easier to find disposable masks, even the coveted N95 ones.

What happens now?  Now that we are seeing light at the end of the tunnel and the pandemic seems to be slowly becoming less of a threat in the United States, does that mean the end of masks? Or has mask-wearing become a normal part of life now that we’ve seen some of the benefits to wearing them? Though mask sales have decreased since the highs of last year, demand still remains elevated overall. Some analysts believe Americans will continue to buy face masks through 2022, even as Centers for Disease Control (CDC) moves toward more relaxed policies for vaccinated people.

In recent weeks public health officials have stated that vaccinated individuals can stop wearing masks in most situations, aside from public transportation. However, many retailers, food establishments, and medical centers are choosing to continue requesting visitors wear a mask before entering.

What does that mean for PPE use long-term? Polaris Market Research suggests that the face masks market will keep growing steadily into 2022. In the health care sector at least, PPE will continue to be used as medical workers will still require daily protection against Covid-19, especially with the lingering potential for Covid mutations and possible need for vaccine booster shots.

Bottom line: analysts believe there will be a decline in demand from this time one year ago, but the market will continue to grow steadily. Masks have proven to be useful in curtailing more than Covid-19. While Americans wore masks for more than a year, we kept most other germs away. The flu was almost non-existent, and cases of RSV plummeted. In an average winter nearly 60,000 children end up in the hospital with fearful parents. This last winter, there were hardly any cases.

Now that masks are starting to come off, a few cases of RSV have started coming back. There’s no way to predict the future for sure, but we may be learning to live with mask-wearing for the long haul, especially for those who are immune-compromised.

One thing is for sure, this pandemic has shaped the culture of wearing PPE, making it more acceptable and a part of normal everyday life.

BlackHawk Industrial is proud to offer top of the line brands in face masks which can be purchased on the BlackHawk site.

For any questions about PPE products or any other products sold by BlackHawk, give us a call. We’re happy to help. Our mission is to provide innovative, value-added services and products that reduce our customer’s total cost. Feel free to contact us for more information.

BlackHawk Industrial
10810 E. 45th St.
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74146
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