It’s a continuum. The better the mask, the more protection. But even a cloth mask offers some protection. Maybe more protection of others from you, if you are contagious, but even for you, some degree of protection.
People that think it’s a binary state are idiots.
This is useful, if someone is wearing a cloth mask it lets you know are dealing with a rat.
People that call a “possible” minimal protection “protection” and treat it like it is meaningful are dissembling.
It’s ridiculous and an attempt to control people. The facts bear out that masks have not protected people in areas where they are mandated.
“It’s a continuum.”
Is it? How many viral particles need to get thru? If you reduce them by 50%, does that do ANYTHING to prevent you from catching it? Or will the virus reproducing for another hour overwhelm that?