Timewise, the answer is in the statistics. According to all the medical studies of this, who is more lkely to stay healthy, and to survive, those who wear masks in public indoor places, or those who don't? What are the numbers? That's the only answer that's valid.
Of course, we all would rather breathe nice clear fresh healthy air than breathe our own breath in a mask. But what if the "nice clean air" contains billions of viruses, many of which you are inhaling with every breath? That nice clean air contains poison. Especially if you are "older."
And of course, in spite of all the propaganda by the antivaxxers, the same holds true. Who gets covid in hugely greater numbers? Who is more likely to spend weeks or months in a hospital hooked up to a ghastly respirator, maybe with lifelong complications from the disease, or ends up dead because they believed the fearmongering?
Political power has always been driving the fear, and continues to do so; t's all about fear. But we can't discuss politics on this forum, so I suggest that you don't bring it up. (However, most of the fear is about vaccines; this is the first time I've heard of anyone being afraid of a mask!)
BTW, I've mostly given up wearing a mask, at least for the time being. My state has the lowest rate of the disease, and I feel reasonably safe. I do wear one in a theatre or when required to by a business establishment. If there is another surge, the mask comes on again. The only thing that makes sense for an adult to do is to use one's own common sense.
P.S. In view of what is going on in the world right now, why are we still squabbling like chickens in the farmyard about whether or not to wear a mask or not? Those people in Ukraine have fled in terror, with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
