I'd rather wear a more "safer", secure N-95 mask that more then likely reduces the odds to contracting Covid by 75-80% then just 50-60% at the height of the pandemic like you suggest or infer you would.
If its my choice to make, Dave, I'm going to choose to wear a mask that gives me a higher percentage of safety four years ago then risking it 50/50 like a coin-flip risking getting Covid-19 before the vaccines came out in early 2021.
Let's be real, Dave, I'm not choosing a mask that just reduces the odds of getting it or spreading by 50% when their's one that's available that more effective but a little more costly. I'm willing to pay a little bit more to buy a Covid-19 mask that reduces the odds a lot more then still risk getting it on " coin flip" odds.
50% is still too forking high and too much of a dangerous risk for me in the context of 4 years ago right now.
In the dangerous sort of games daily life can be sometimes and faced with this planet's first major superflu pandemic since 1918-21, IMO, under those circumstances, there's a discernable difference between taking sensible measures or perhaps taking a more ultra-cautious approach that significantly lowers the chances of catching Covid.