The departure gates board is reflected on the shades of a passenger wearing a protective mask as she travels for the Lunar New Year holidays, at the Beijing West Railway Station in Beijing on Jan. 24, 2020. (AFP via Getty Images)

Face Masks: The first sign of dystopia

Wearing accessories and clothing that protect us from our environment is not new, think umbrellas or steel-toe boots or insulated outerwear. But when it comes to environmental threats that might internally compromise our physical wellness, things quickly turn dystopian.

The recent Coronavirus outbreak has sent a flood of these dystopian images and headlines into our news streams and conversations…