What Will We Do With Our Masks Now?

As more people are vaccinated and guidelines around mask wearing are easing, some are finding ways to preserve, repurpose and recycle their face coverings.

It first emerged as a sign — on faces in airports, at hospitals, on the streets — that this virus was not to be taken lightly. In the space of a year, the mask sold out; set off scientific debates; became a shield; got sucked into politics; saved small businesses; staved off awkward social encounters and some (but not all) forms of harassment. It appeared at weddings and funerals, on red carpets and the presidential inauguration, and in the Super Bowl halftime show. Masks were everywhere. Now, after 14 months of reliance on the mask for protection, its twilight appears to be in sight in certain parts of the world. In late April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidelines stating that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks outdoors unless they are in crowds. Already, the C.D.C. had said that small groups of fully vaccinated people — more than 1.2 billion doses have been administered worldwide — could safely gather indoors unmasked.