Medical experts from all over the world have endorsed social distancing and universal masking beyond the pandemic as data becomes increasingly available on their positive effects. A nationwide analysis of pandemic data in Canada by a research team led by Dr Eddy S. Lang, Professor, Cumming School of Medicine, and Rutvij Khanolkar, Medical Student, University of Calgary, revealed that hospital admissions for major respiratory illnesses dropped sharply in the year following the start of the first lockdown. The analysis  also demonstrated a 40 percent decrease in COPD flare-ups across Canada following the implementation of NPIs like masking and physical distancing. The team said that instead of dispensing with the safety measures fully, one can relax them and consider the benefits that warrant continued use.