The norms shouldn't change because the pandemic isn't normal, but by the same token we don't address the pandemic using a normal seasonal flu protocol.

Fundamentally, due to the urgency of the problem, the certainty / urgency tradeoff has been shifted for this disease specifically; there isn't time to exhaust the space of understanding how masks, hand-washing, etc. impact this virus while people are dying from it right now. A practice that is low-cost and 50/50 likely to help with low chance of harm is worth doing.

This isn't the way we treat most diseases because most diseases aren't this virulent and deadly.