Mine too. This is the best data I’ve seen so far regarding effects of community masking. Here’s the link to study that I forgot to include with first post.
https://www.poverty-action.org/sites/default/files/publications/Mask_RCT____Symptomatic_Seropositivity_083121.pdf
1. Cloth masks are just as worthless as doing nothing. Not a surprise to me.
2. Surgical masks were better, with benefit limited to those age 50 and up
3. Absolute risk reduction in symptomatic infection (serious problems as to how this is defined) was 1%. It was about 8% of the control group clusters who got symptoms consistent with COVID and about 7% of intervention group. So, clearly not a parachute. All of this risk reduction was seen in people older than 50 and in the surgical mask groups (not cloth masks)
4. Some confounders that intervention group also got education about distancing, etc. in addition to masks.
If one were to read this study and come away with the conclusion, “SEE, MASKS WORK!”, I would think they’re fairly simple minded without much critical thinking skill or nuance.
I’d say that some mask policies probably help some in certain situations. But more study is needed.