Just one of MANY sites both Govt and scientific that states mask wearing, if fitted properly and made from the right materials etc, while not perfect by any stretch DO help in the overall aim of reducing the spread of virus.....

"Do masks protect against Omicron variant?

Masks continue to be effective at reducing the risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19, including the Omicron variant, according to the CDC. That's because masks are not variant specific. Instead, they act as a barrier, trapping and filtering out virus particles from the air we breathe, Dr. Schaffner says.

However, masks are an imperfect barrier, meaning some virus particles still slip through. The likelihood some particles escape is probably even greater when it comes to the Omicron variant.

"Omicron produces more virus, even than Delta," Dr. Schaffner says, pointing out that some research has found the variant infects and multiplies 70 times faster than Delta. "So, the masks' capacity to interrupt or reduce transmission back and forth is likewise reduced."

But that doesn't mean masks are worthless against Omicron. Rather, masking is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to protecting you and your community from the variant.

"We have to think of these interventions as though they were a series of Swiss cheese slices," Dr. Schaffner says. "Each slice produces a barrier, but it has holes in it! It's not perfect. So, you can't rely on just one intervention to protect us. We have to do a whole series of things."

Of course, the most robust slice of cheese would be the vaccine. In fact, "vaccines remain the best public health measure to protect people from COVID-19," according to the CDC. Although even those who are vaccinated (or have their booster) should still start, or continue, wearing a mask, especially in crowded indoor situations Danielle Zerr, MD, medical director of infection prevention at Seattle Children's Hospital, tells Health.

As Dr. Schaffner notes, "Omicron can even infect people who are fully vaccinated and boosted, so we don't want to be spreaders to others, even if breakthrough infections are mild."

This echoes CDC guidelines which state people should wear masks indoors in areas where community transmission of COVID-19 is high or substantial."

https://www.health.com/condition/inf...micron-variant