Everything you say is correct
Yes, I believe the masks are largely ineffective.
There are other things. When we stayed at a hotel, they served a buffet breakfast and each person was expected to wear very thin, transparent plastic gloves to protect against germs carried by handling juice pitchers and the buffet utensils. You take them off at your dining table — and put them back on again if you go back for seconds.
Necessary? No. But it gave me more confidence that the buffet food I was eating was handled with care for cleanliness.
People in this city do not jaywalk. And I’ve noticed the drivers of cars are very conscious of pedestrians, too. These things go hand in hand. And it’s made me think of my impatience to get somewhere faster. I need to relax and enjoy the beauty of civilized life around me.
So I’m following their lead and obeying their pedestrian laws. I’m honored they let me and my wife come to live in this nation. Maybe I can return the favor.