Illinois has had a mask mandate since May 1. Our positivity rate got as low as 2.4%, but then spiked in a major way beginning in early July, coinciding with two events: Independence Day and the opening of inside service at restaurants and bars. I saw for myself all the cars parked on my block on the 4th - no way those were all people who lived together. State officials attributed the spike to large indoor gatherings (many graduation parties were mentioned) and people who were not in the same household meeting up in restaurants and bars - what the CDC calls prolonged indoor contact with an infected person. I believe the positivity rate almost doubled at one point, despite the fact that the mask mandate was the same throughout.
That's why I agree that we can't "mask" our way out of this. My attitude toward masks has evolved along with changing statements from the experts, including a recent report stating that a person wearing a mask who catches COVID may get a milder case. I have always (contrary to a post by the resident mind-reader) supported mask-wearing as a way of stemming widespread transmission of the virus, even though the chances of getting sick from passing near someone at a grocery store is small. But I'm concerned that the discussion has turned from how to best control the virus to whether people should wear masks in public. Several months ago, a poster asked why people were against mask-wearing because it was so much easier to just throw on a mask and go about your usual routine. Unfortunately, especially going into cold and flu season, it's the routines that have to change. Masks are important, but only if worn correctly and in addition to avoiding large gatherings whenever possible. If not, there's a risk that they are providing a false sense of security.