You can say these meta-studies means masks and hand washing don't help for large populations and you're right. But it's not because masks and handwashing don't work. It's because people on average are too stupid or otherwise cranky to wear them properly (ie, fit and sealed) and consistently.
It's not hard to wear a sealed N95 consistently and wash your hands when you come home. But almost no one will do this for years long time spans. That's what these meta-studies of populations capture: human laziness and stupidity.
It's not hard to wear a sealed N95 consistently and wash your hands when you come home. But almost no one will do this for years long time spans. That's what these meta-studies of populations capture: human laziness and stupidity.