It's so retarded to even think that it would protect, with 0 standards the mask should live up to to call it a proper mask + the fact that wearing such a thing just keeps bacteria etc in a stagnant place, therefore creating literal illness. Imagine how much illness actually has come about cause people just had masks in their pocket all the time and wore it for months on end, with all the bacteria heaped on for ages.
To be fair, whilst not providing protection to the user, if the user is infected, it does lower the risk of people who interact with the user on the short term.
Thats because it does catch a lot of the crap that comes out of your mouth and nose, thereby not letting lots of virus out, and lowering the potential viral load of anyone else.
When wearing it, it doesnt protect you from virus entering through your eyes. Also, with regards to covid, the people who wore the mask were so scared they always used hand sanitiser, which has the effect of drying and breaking your skin, allowing all kinds of crap to get in that way.
Most people are too stupid to use any kind of PPE properly and because they have PPE, they think they are safe and do stupid things, like reaching under a mask to pick your nose.
Yes, masks are not as effective as they say, but dont dismiss peoples stupidity as being a factor in anything you assess.
I have seen people with masks that they had drawn pictures on, and months (years?) later they still have the same mask. Can you imagine how stinking they are?