I suppose those masks help some. But unless they have an airtight seal some are still going to get sick.
I keep a lot of those masks because I use them when I spray chemicals in the yard..and even sometimes when I mow
I would think anyone without eye protection would also be susceptible even if masked.
The masks are definitely useful for some things and real handwashing saves lives.
Lots of rumors apparently originating in China that there are actually between 90-100k infected. Given the very unusual steps the government is taking, that number makes sense. Quarantines/evacuations are tricky to manage even with a compliant populace, add panic and it’s unpredictable.
This feels different to me than recent viral outbreaks.
Proper biomedical particulate masks have recently been found to prevent flu 80 % better. One can imagine more flu particles are located in dense particulate matter. Less virus exposure is the key.