Correction... there is theory masks prevent spread.
(and maybe particular ones do for a sneeze or two while they are clean.
But... they also can cause spread after being touched.)
So what is the net...?
Are masks saving spread from the sick to others outside hospitals or contributing to it?
At best its speculation.
However, lets look at what we do know.
71% of americans believe masks protect per Gallop.
The high risk are still getting sick and dying.... at very high rates in my state...
California which has been under a mask mandate...
And we have mask propaganda everywhere.
Even the road signs... "wear a mask stay safe"... gets flashed to us.
But... if we all told everyone the truth..
Masks may prevent spread from a sick person to you... at times.
Dirty mask are dangerous.
and
Masks don't protect you.
Then... we would probably have far fewer high risk
people getting sick and dying
And we would not have the hospital crisis
we may be having now.
This study came out when mask wearing was not the norm and very few people were wearing masks. The fault here is that masks prevent spread, not contraction.