I really, really dislike the “still masking” framing. It annoys me to no end. I’m not “still wearing a seatbelt”, so why would I be “still masking”? Maskers are generally way *ahead* of the curve, because we discovered what should be viewed as a lifelong mitigation fairly early in the paradigm shift from droplet theory -> airborne. Which is the complete antithesis of “still”, a qualifier that implies masking is a mitigation with a potential end in sight. There isn’t a potential end, at least as far as it being the more scientific and moral choice to use respirators in shared public spaces. It’s the correct science, and it will always be the correct science until the day that we die, and it will continue being the correct science well beyond that point. Unfortunately, I know that there are a lot of people in the COVID conscious community who are still waiting on a miracle prophylactic drug to be able to remove their masks. I don’t think it’s the majority, but I do know there’s a significant amount. To be clear, if their wish ever does come true, those people, many of whom I fear are the ones using the “still masking” framing, will be indistinguishable from everyone else using past-tense “during COVID” in 2026.