That's as maybe. How much they help, if at all, can't be teased out from all the confounding factors such as social distancing and lockdown measures such as restricting indoor visits, closing pubs and restaurants, etc., and now vaccination. It's impossible to do a controlled experiment to isolate masks from all the other factors in order to glean their efficacy, but we can at least adopt a sort of precautionary principle. When you say they help you are speaking in hope, never from science. Which doesn't necessarily mean that you're wrong. Just don't go thinking that a mask makes you so safe that you can be all blasé. The people who breach the distancing rules in the shops round here are all wearing masks. What should I make of that, d'ye think? None of this is really the point. The point is that, whatever we think, we should stick a mask on when it's legally required. That way, no-one need feel more threatened or vulnerable than they need to. Fine by me. I'm have mask, will travel at all times. Sorry if I sound like Mr Spock.