[teejers1]

I don't think it's reasonable to be anti-mask.

I think it is at least somewhat reasonable to doubt the efficacy of masks. As BC pointed out at the beginning of this epidemic there wasn't really compelling data either way. At present, the data favoring masks is still not conclusive to the point we can say how much good they do. That said, the mandate to wear them isn't some kind of conspiracy to limit our freedom. It is the best estimate at present of what we can do to limit the spread of the disease given what we know now. It isn't political.
We all have to follow regulations and laws with which we may have some doubts. They may be "incorrect" in some sense. However, in order to make society "work", we have to comply. It is perfectly fine to think masks aren't very useful. It is not perfectly fine to not wear them. It may turn out that at the end of they day they didn't help much, but as of now they required. That is just how it is.

Right.  Obviously this is a new virus, and it is hard to prove that masks work.  You would have to randomize people to masks versus no masks and look to see what proportion of each group develop COVID-19 (but even then, masks' best efficacy is probably in preventing the wearer from infecting someone else instead of protecting the wearer.  Instead, what you have is a lot of circumstantial evidence that suggests that masks work, from studies looking at droplet emissions through masks, to animal studies, to observational studies, to ecological studies, to studies in other (related) diseases.  The studies generally and consistently support mask wearing, but all the studies have weaknesses.  It's enough for me to wear masks routinely and to encourage others to wear them, especially, as someone else mentioned in this thread, when you consider the risk/benefit.  There is basically no risk, and a potentially large benefit, so it looks like it should be a no-brainer.

BC

I would only add that common sense militates in favor of wearing a mask because it's hard to see it not helping.  It may not be preventive, but it has to help reduce spread . . . some.

[teejers1]

I don't think it's reasonable to be anti-mask.

I think it is at least somewhat reasonable to doubt the efficacy of masks. As BC pointed out at the beginning of this epidemic there wasn't really compelling data either way. At present, the data favoring masks is still not conclusive to the point we can say how much good they do. That said, the mandate to wear them isn't some kind of conspiracy to limit our freedom. It is the best estimate at present of what we can do to limit the spread of the disease given what we know now. It isn't political.
We all have to follow regulations and laws with which we may have some doubts. They may be "incorrect" in some sense. However, in order to make society "work", we have to comply. It is perfectly fine to think masks aren't very useful. It is not perfectly fine to not wear them. It may turn out that at the end of they day they didn't help much, but as of now they required. That is just how it is.

Right.  Obviously this is a new virus, and it is hard to prove that masks work.  You would have to randomize people to masks versus no masks and look to see what proportion of each group develop COVID-19 (but even then, masks' best efficacy is probably in preventing the wearer from infecting someone else instead of protecting the wearer.  Instead, what you have is a lot of circumstantial evidence that suggests that masks work, from studies looking at droplet emissions through masks, to animal studies, to observational studies, to ecological studies, to studies in other (related) diseases.  The studies generally and consistently support mask wearing, but all the studies have weaknesses.  It's enough for me to wear masks routinely and to encourage others to wear them, especially, as someone else mentioned in this thread, when you consider the risk/benefit.  There is basically no risk, and a potentially large benefit, so it looks like it should be a no-brainer.

BC

I would only add that common sense militates in favor of wearing a mask because it's hard to see it not helping.  It may not be preventive, but it has to help reduce spread . . . some.