[Seenso]

> Masks, as most people wear them, don't do much. They'd need to be custom fitted to ensure no "leakage".

Respirator is the correct and less-confusing term for the item you're referring to.

Everyone should probably wear a surgical mask, because it will help contain the virus to those who have it, and help keep it from spreading. That's what masks are designed to do.

Wearing a respirator is overkill for most people, especially for everyday use, and therefore should be avoided because of the supply problems. They also have the usage complexities you mention. The fit tests verify fit, and are used help choose a well-fitting mask. I'm not sure how often the tests force someone to choose a different type.

I'm not convinced respirators are useless for regular people though, if you're a high-risk person in a high-risk area (such as an elderly person visiting an ER), I think their use might be warranted (coupled with more important practices like strict hand hygiene, etc).