A quick history of why Asians wear surgical masks in public qz.com

On the 7 train that connects Manhattan to the bustling ethnic enclave of Flushing, Queens, it’s becoming more and more common to see riders wearing surgical masks in public.
It’s a phenomenon that’s long been a common in East Asian countries.
The reality is that the woven-cloth surgical masks provide minimal protection from environmental viruses anyway.
Today, Japanese consumers buy $230 million in surgical masks a year, and neighboring countries facing chronic pollution issues—most notably China and Korea—have also adopted the practice.
Japanese consumers buy $230 million in surgical masks a year.