Of course masks work. It depends on the type of mask. My university lab put many types of masks through very stringent testing. A neck gaiter or or bandana is made of loosely woven material and will let most of the virus through. A 600 count cotton mask (like some pillow cases) lets much less through. Three layers of mask, middle layer a filter, is almost as safe as the gold standard N95 mask.
The recent N95 masks we can buy have a relatively tight fit because of the elastic around the head, they can be made longer for very large heads. The tight fit makes sure no air flows through. Last spring in NY they found medical staff and first responders who worked directly with Covid positive patients had a lower infection rate than the general public. That is how well the masks and PPE work.
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