Mask [...] they have literally 0 effect on the state of covid it seems.
Is it safe to assume that you're not actually a qualified biochemist?
Have you actually looked at the studies and associated data around mask efficacy? Surgical masks are obviously better than simple cloth masks, but the data show that cloth masks do have a protective effect. Even if they aren't 100% effective, they are still going to reduce viral load.
I am qualified, I would say
5 years of biochemistry and engineering studies resulting in a M.sc in protein science and yeah viruses are essentially proteins with some RNA or DNa inside .. I am not arguing that the mask could not work in theory or in a very controlled environment, for preventing droplets to spreading in the air, to stop a single virus is impossible for simple N/M 95/94 masks and not what they are designed to do.I am saying masks SEEM to have no effect on the spread in society if you compare mask mandate schools and states with non mandate schools and states. It even seems like mask mandate states are worse off, and i said strange.
I would guess that masks are used poorly and that masked citizens think they are protected more than they actually are, which leads to unnecessary risk behavior.
A quick look at WHO's website may educate you, unless you know better.
https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-masks
Hard evidence or not, during april of 2021 states with no mask mandates like Texas, Georgia, South dakota, Tennessee, Mississippi etc it can be seen clearly that the "flattening" of the case curve happened much earlier and faster. New Jersey and New York saw their cases stay high much later into spring / summer. All i said was that masks seem to have little effect if you compare mandate states with non mandate states, and this can be seen by just looking at the case curves of these states, anyone can check it out, its public data. I am not saying it is the masks that works or not, just that it is strange that there is no visible effect of these mandates ergo they are not backed by data.
1. I would not use a political organisation with funding from pharma companies and / or investors therein as a source of information.
2. 1918 was a disaster, not sure masks did much good there, especially when considering most died of secondary bacterial infections which masks could actually prevent hmm again strange...
3. Masks worn during operations is not intended to stop airborne viruses but droplets rather and the risk of bacterial infections that comes with droplets. If doctors operated during an infection with an airborne virus i would argue that the patient could be infected just as well with or without and open wound.