The hospital staff will know how to fit them properly, and are in a high-risk area.
An average person is already keeping some distance from other people, and is more likely to pick up something by touching a surface touched by someone who sneezed into their hand, and then rubbing their eyes or near their mouth or nose.
That’s why the focus is on not touching people or things, NOT touching your face, and using disinfectant whenever you DO touch things.
We’ve started wiping down our chairs at work a couple of times a day.
The main reason that masks are being discouraged is because most are made in China and we have a shortage of them for the expected medical demand.
That’s it. No need to try to push the rationalization here.
And you know, thinks the sort of stuff that people should do regardless of COVID-19.
Frankly, I discourage people being in my office if I am not there. Yes, it's company property, but things happen. Several years ago, I left a $20 bill in my office (locked) under a stapler so I would remember to get snacks or something. I came into work very early the next day and $20 was gone. The only people that had been in there were the cleaners. Went to the Director of Buildings and said that a cleaner had taken a $20 off my desk. He said no way and I said "Okay, but I'll need to let the security staff know "for their records". Next day had a $20 bill in an envelope on my desk. The cleaner in that area was re-assigned, and ended up leaving a few months later with little notice.