Of course masks work.
No new COVID-19 cases reported after infected hair stylists exposed 140 clients in Missouri
combined with social distancing to reduce the virus airborne spread. If the majority of spread is airborne from exhaling infected particles, and masks catch a large portion of exhaled air and particulates, why would you not think that masks work? The primary purpose is to reduce the virus particles expelled into the air.
However, when humans are involved, any complex system can be broken due to the individual's cerebral cortex. Everyone's is different, and has differences processing information, safety, and empathy, etc. So try to manage a very large population with information? and this variety of re-actions and behaviors are what happens.
But the problem is understanding the risk involved by each individual. Very, very difficult to judge the risk of catching and the risk of not surviving or the risk of damage if surviving. This is the human condition, we all judge risk differently. Darwin non survivors make mistakes in the judgement of risk. Darwin survivors make fewer or smaller mistakes in the judgement of risks. As the risk is difficult to estimate in both areas, being conservative always wins out vs mother nature with healthcare.
As this is a free country, as compared to say China, people who misjudge the risk will most likely fall ill, those that respect the risk for their situation, will have a better chance of survival. Just remember, the long term effects are still unknown, as we haven't even made it out of the pandemic stage yet.
sportsguy