right, because masks are performative. that's why you see them so much out in public where they do little, but not much in private spaces where they could help in specific instances.

that limited context is when two people are facing each other, one infected, in relatively calm air, and within direct exhaust inhalation distance (~1m/3ft). yet we've been sold by the political media machine that they prevent spread everywhere, so "just wear a mask!" it's become the #1 policy prescription all over the world, because it's seen as doing something visible (political win) but not too much (more political win!).

distancing among non-household members when indoors is a much better first mitigation, but it keeps getting lumped in with masks (and the even less useful hand-washing/sanitizing) and drowned out because it's not as visibly performative. if the virus doesn't land on mucus membranes it's overwhelmingly likely to die.