Probably out of necessity. Thing is, your hardware store N95s aren’t proof against any sort of fluid or droplet. The medical ones are. Closest thing you can find to it in the general marketplace are P100s.
Thanks for the tip; at this point I’m working remotely and only going out very early to shop every so often. It really sucks that the 24-hour places have shut down overnight now, and the first hour is set aside for older people. I understand the sentiment, but I’ve got a wife and kids. Oh well; it could be worse; as a prepper I was (and still am) in good shape - didn’t have to stand in line for hours anywhere, and still have good toilet paper...