The virus spreads by getting into the eyes, nose, and throat. Don't rub your eyes and wearing a mask will cut down your chances of getting infected substantially. Of course, it depends on what kind of mask you wear.
The gist I’m getting is that if anything, it’s a placebo effect. If people feel better while wearing it, they should knock themselves out, but it looks stupid and doesn’t work.
“Dr Chris Smith, consultant virologist at Cambridge University, told RNZ people should not buy them and instead save their money.”
"Go and spend it on something useful that you enjoy doing, like having a beer. Those face masks are absolute rubbish and they do nothing."
“Dr David Carrington, of St George's, University of London, told BBC News "routine surgical masks for the public are not an effective protection against viruses or bacteria carried in the air", which was how "most viruses" were transmitted, because they were too loose, had no air filter and left the eyes exposed.”
“Surgical masks will not prevent your acquiring diseases,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University, and the medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, to Fox News.
Rather, he explained, surgical masks are typically used by surgeons to protect their patients from their mouth-borne germs — but “those masks don't work to prevent inhaling diseases,” said Schaffner.