If anything, masks have actually been shown to be near useless when it comes to not just COVID-19, but anything similar to it; I'm talking about your typical mask you see in doctor's offices, hospitals, etc. While it's been suggested that ONLY THOSE INFECTED wear such a mask, they are only of marginal help when it comes to preventing the spread of the virus. Simply put, these things aren't sufficient enough to contain cough/sneeze droplets of an infected person. Some will still be released into the air, and that's still dangerous. It's only the heavy-duty N95 masks that are of actual use, and the ones needed most right now by those fighting this thing on the front lines.