The rise of the humble medical mask

The medical mask was a product once taken for granted, but now is being recognised as a vital tool for public health. From an ugly duckling to beautiful swan, the true value of a medical mask is finally appreciated. In an imaginary world, the story of the medical mask would have probably been like this:

Made of paper, elastic and some plastic, I used to live a very modest life in the shadow of other important life-saving and quality-of-life-improving medical devices, like pacemakers, heart valves and knee implants.

The people who used me regularly regarded me a product that would always be available in abundance at low prices. Most hospital buyers positioned me in the unglamorous 'routine quadrant' of the widely used Kraljic-grid. They were often ready to swap me, without hesitation, for the reasons of costs.

And then, one day, everything changed.