Earlier quoted context omitted.
Cloth masks do a better job at preventing you from spreading COVID than they do of preventing you from catching COVID. In small confined spaces I would not want to depend on 100% mask compliance by all people to keep me safe, and I’d want a N95.
In a large, unconfined space, I would also not want to rely just on masks. It's a public health issue. If I've reduced the odds of catching COVID19 by even, say, 30%, that's an incredible impact on how much COVID19 spreads, for the cost of a $5 mask and a minor inconvenience. The trick is to get R0 under 1, so we have exponential decline rather than exponential growth. Even if it's above 1, if we can bring the expone…
Given that the likelihood of catching it from a brief encounter with a random passer by is in fact quite small the idea that a mask could reduce the odds meaningfully in large unconfined spaces seems unlikely. We do not wear masks here in Norway but we do keep our distance (except for usual idiots at parties, etc.).
Recent clusters of infection here have all been traced to people who were in close contact with large numbers of people for hours (wedding parties, cruise ships, etc.). Then perhaps diligent use of masks might have helped but just not holding the party helps more.
> For the most part, easiest thing to do is to not go out in public.
This together with simple measures like making sure one washes ones hands seems to be what is working here.