Aren’t Japanese doing that for decades?

I lived in Singapore for 4.5 years, pre-covid, & it was very common for people to wear masks in Asia

I wonder how many youve seen today who would have worn one anyway pre-2020...?

what is surprising? i lived in the area many years and many if not most taiwanese and japanese people wear them often and have since way before covid or sars. people wear them in on public transportation, and in crowds to prevent catching a cold or if they have a cold out of respect for others, many people also wear them if they will be in the city walking or driving a motorcycle to prevent from inhaling engine exhaust etc.

I try to think positivily that it is a quick way to know if someone is likely boring and probably not worth talking to.

masks were common when I lived in Vietnam in 2018. different cultures