Cloth masks work better than no mask, so they made sense early on when surgical masks couldn't be found. There are certainly better options now though.
Masks incur costs; at a minimum you must admit they alter risk appraisal if nothing else.
Anyway, nobody in this thread has addressed the point that masks don’t even work in theory if aerosol transmission is the dominant transmission mode. That’s before accounting for the incredible cross contamination and misuse of masks that you see in the community.
There has not been a surge of new cases.
Throughout 2020, Broken Bow, OK received millions of tourists, it was the #2 short-term vacation rental destination in the country, according to VRBO.
It's a small town with crowded bars. Very few locals or visitors wore masks.
There was not a significant rise in severe Covid cases, and schools mostly kept masking optional.