The US is one case, I wonder what about Europe or China? It seems part of the problem was that the mandates were loosely followed at a societal level — masks clearly do reduce the spread of diseases when used reliably (see: doctors). It seems likely that in societies who followed the guidance strictly, there must have been _some_ reduction in infections. I suppose the question then is: are there any places where we can compare a community loose on masking, and one strict on it – all other things being equal?