Masks offer no or very minimal protection against infection, but they help prevent the spread from an infected person. That's always been the reason behind wearing masks. A asymptomatic person sheds less of the virus than symptomatic people, but they still shed. If an asymptomatic person wears a mask and maintains appropriate social distancing the risk they pose to others is significantly reduced. That's been the strategy from the beginning and has proven very successful on other countries.
In a passing setting such as two patrons of a grocery store, there’s almost no chance for an asymptomatic carrier to spread the disease. The cited article suggests that 5-10 minutes of within 6 foot contact in a small room would be necessary for a real chance of spread to start. At that point it makes sense to start using masks. And then for employees of the store to use masks as they may be with a customer for minutes at a time. And at that point of prolonged interaction, it would then be reasonable for both parties to don their masks. Like when you’re with a bank teller for a half hour, go ahead and make the mask argument.
When I’m going in and out for a 6 pack of Busch Latte’s the chances of me infecting anyone in the store, mask or no mask, really are so close to 0 that it just doesn’t matter. They are security theater in most of their “new normal” use cases.
Provide a link
Here’s another
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2006372
Masks offer no or very minimal protection against infection, but they help prevent the spread from an infected person. That's always been the reason behind wearing masks. A asymptomatic person sheds less of the virus than symptomatic people, but they still shed. If an asymptomatic person wears a mask and maintains appropriate social distancing the risk they pose to others is significantly reduced. That's been the strategy from the beginning and has proven very successful on other countries.
In a passing setting such as two patrons of a grocery store, there’s almost no chance for an asymptomatic carrier to spread the disease. The cited article suggests that 5-10 minutes of within 6 foot contact in a small room would be necessary for a real chance of spread to start. At that point it makes sense to start using masks. And then for employees of the store to use masks as they may be with a customer for minutes at a time. And at that point of prolonged interaction, it would then be reasonable for both parties to don their masks. Like when you’re with a bank teller for a half hour, go ahead and make the mask argument.
When I’m going in and out for a 6 pack of Busch Latte’s the chances of me infecting anyone in the store, mask or no mask, really are so close to 0 that it just doesn’t matter. They are security theater in most of their “new normal” use cases.