Scientists in Denmark carried out the most robust double blind study yet on the use of face masks. It took some effort to get it published, perhaps because it revealed that masks make very little difference to the incidence of infection from SARS-cov-2 for the person wearing the mask. The study concluded that 1.8% of those wearing masks became infected with the virus, whereas 2.1% of those in the control group became infected.

The difference was marginal, even taking into account that some of the masks had not been worn correctly.

The apparent lack of interest by governments in whether the science backs their policy of enforced mask wearing, is in itself, revealing. It might an easy policy that gives the illusion of protection to the public, but surely believing you are protected by a particular strategy, when you are not, could have the opposite effect.  Not to mention the downsides of regular mask wearing for children in school, during exercise, for those who depend on lip reading, the list is long.

Perhpas the public should be allowed to make up their own minds about mask wearing?

The original Danish study can be found here : https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-6817