But does not stop transmission. In addition there is no proof evidence asymptomatic people have enough virus in respiratory secretion to spread it at all. combine that with the way the public wears masks and all you are doing is annoying people for no good reason
By that reasoning, we shouldn't have bothered vaccinating against Smallpox because the vaccine isn't 100% effective in every individual. Ergo, if it isn't perfect, don't bother.
From an epidemiological standpoint, a reduction in the risk of transmission has value. When you're talking about a disease that causes deaths, a reduction in transmission risk equates to a reduction in the death rate. Study after study provides ample evidence that there is a tangible benefit to mask wearing and that benefit is a reduction in the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Your statements fly in the face of the evidence before us. It flies in the face of what President Trump is telling us and what his CDC is saying.
All this does is slow transmission rates so we buy more time for a safe and effective vaccine to boost inoculation rates beyond the herd immunity threshold without a load of preventable deaths. CDC has us ~250,000 excess deaths this year and we're likely only about 15-16% of the way to the HIT (~10% infected, R0 of 2.5, HIT of 60%). Reducing the rate of transmission with simple measures that don't kill the economy save lives and make sense. I disagree on principle with mandates, but we shouldn't need a mandate to put on a mask in the limited circumstances where it makes sense to do so. Namely, while in an indoor public place.
I certainly agree there are far too many people wearing poorly made masks and/or wearing masks incorrectly, but that's a separate issue. If everyone wore a properly made, properly worn mask in indoor public places, transmission rates would be reduced.