I would say, the solution for all such pandemics is a technical upgrade of the Air-Body-Barrier. To whatever virus there might come in future we would need a proper filtering of all the air you breath whenever you are around people.
Not by masks or anything we know today, but I imagine something like tiny but sealing noseplugs. And those plugs filter all the air you breath for an electrical support of what our vibrissae are not able to do anymore. One way to do this (and i am no expert here) could be a sterilisation by uv light as the air flows into your nose.
There would be many engineering problems on the way, as you would need to make individual passforms, low battery-Issues, people with a cold needing to breath through their mouth. But on the plus side you could ask people to speak less (loud) in public for health reasons.
Highly speculative, i know.
In Germany they make us believe it is quite a medium to severe pandemic. i agree that there is a cost benefit analysis everybody is doing before buying/using such a device. But for me personally i would rather use permanent something like this (https://www.amazon.de/-/en/WoodyKnows-Super-Defense-Nasal-Filters/dp/B00DKX15G2) than wearing a mask whenever entering a building.