Seeing those surgical masks reminds me of a book I read a few weeks ago about the great inlfuenza pandemic of 1918-1919 that killed over half a million here in the US and millions world-wide. Schools, churches, theaters were closed and wearing masks was mandatory. You were arrested if you spit!
Scary stuff back then.
When I lived in Korea, I had one. I wore it for most of the winter and also when I went to China as well.