Assuming the vaccine is or isn’t perfectly effective aren’t the only two options. They can use a probability distribution. Surely at least one statistician works at the CDC.

OK, so do a cost benefit. What is the cost of a mask? Next to nothing--a buck at most, and even the disposable ones can be reused a few times. The cost is vanishingly small. Wearing masks and maintaining social distancing is a tiny, minuscule price to pay, even if the benefit is still questionable for people around vaccinated people. It costs almost nothing and is almost zero effort, so why wouldn't you?

I just don't get this thing against masks, for the life of me I don't understand the mentality. In the past people have gone off to war and died for their country, and yet today we have people ready to riot about putting a little piece of cloth on their faces. I can't figure it out.