We’ve been encouraged to wear masks throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, mostly to protect the people around us from inhaling the tiny pieces of airborne virus that could fly out of our mouths and noses, sometimes before we even realize we’re sick. But wearing a mask also protects the person wearing it, if only to a lesser degree than what you get from being surrounded by a sea of masked faces. If you’re one of the many people still masking up in airports, on the subway or during a bus ride following the end of the federal public transportation mask mandate, you might be wondering: Is it still worth it? To read the full story.