“Following the outbreak of the SARS-CoV2 pandemic, use of face masks (fm) is widely recommended by international, national and local authorities [1–3]. The aim of the regulations is to reduce the respiratory droplet excretion in pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals (source control). The evidence for face masks to reduce respiratory virus infections or to improve clinical outcomes is heterogeneous [4–6]. The role of fine-particle aerosols and environmental factors such as temperature and humidity on respiratory virus transmission is a matter of scientific debate [7]. However, as long as no effective treatment or vaccination against SARS-CoV2 is available, health policies need to rely on non-pharmacological interventions such as social distancing, intensified hand hygiene and the wearing of face masks. Current recommendations to wear a face mask during times of contact to other individuals affect millions of persons. Especially health care professionals are required to wear masks for long periods of time. However, the quantitative effects of medical masks on cardiopulmonary exercise capacity have never been systematically reported.”

“Disposable surgical masks are intended to reduce transmissions from the wearer to the patient, hand-to-face contact and facial contact with large droplets. FFP2/N95 facepiece respirators meet filtration requirements of small airborne particles, fit tightly to the wearer’s face and have been suggested to be more efficacious than surgical masks in reducing exposure to viral infections [8]. They are, therefore, widely used by health care professionals for self-protection, especially during the SARS-CoV2 pandemic. However, randomized trials did not find significant differences between FFP2/N95 and surgical masks in preventing influenza infections or respiratory illness [9, 10].”

“Medical face masks have a marked negative impact on cardiopulmonary capacity that significantly impairs strenuous physical and occupational activities. In addition, medical masks significantly impair the quality of life of their wearer. These effects have to be considered versus the potential protective effects of face masks on viral transmissions. The quantitative data of this study may, therefore, inform medical recommendations and policy makers.“

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32632523/

Good grief. So they haven’t been shown to work and they kind of smother you.

I know we “been knowing this”, but the more documentation the better.