[criticaltinker]

This is an interesting idea but the mass enforcement of NPI's is likely to have second and third order consequences for public health that may actually weaken our collective immune system [1].

So while the masks will reduce transmission of COVID-19, it will also reduce the transmission of other endemic illnesses like the seasonal flu. And while you might think that's a good thing, it's likely to backfire as we set the stage for massive outbreaks during the flu season, which puts further pressure on limited healthcare resources, and so on.

The same patterns can be seen in forest management, where by constantly putting out all the small natural forest fires, we set the stage for record breaking wildfires that cannot be contained.

[1] The impact of COVID-19 nonpharmaceutical interventions on the future dynamics of endemic infections https://www.pnas.org/content/117/48/30547