Your situation is atypical. So masks may not be a good solution for you. But for society in general, masks are the best solution. No amount of maskless social distancing can keep you safe but still be able to socialize with others. 6’ is not a number that was derived from science. When investigated, scientists said it was more like 20’.

But having masks and learning how to wear them properly allows people to engage in almost normal social gatherings. This is based on the fractional levels of infections in countries with extremely high compliance like Korea and Japan.