surgeon general should be a surgeon general if they don’t understand this. I get that healthcare workers should be prioritized for masks, but flat out saying they are ineffective is wrong. However like you said a mask is not a guaranteed safety net, particles can still get through your eyes and ears, but a high quality mask would help with limiting viral load which they say is key to possibly having a mild or severe case.
5 minutes of your time, but it’s extremely helpful in understanding
https://www.cougarboard.com/board/message.html?id=23486103