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Post being replied to

Makes sense to me, with a question by garbageplate

Is imposing a mask mandate in public places going to have a meaningful effect on cases?

My understanding, and perhaps I'm badly mistaken, is that the virus spreads primarily from close, extended personal contact, as opposed to a chance encounter with someone in, say, the grocery store. Even assuming that cloth masks are effective in blocking particles, it seems like a stretch to assume that a mask mandate will work to alleviate the burden on the health care system.