Three Current Thoughts on COVID-19

1. We're unlikely to "beat" COVID 19. It's probably going to become endemic, just like its close relatives, the common colds. If we're lucky, its mutations will remain in a range that make an annual vaccine helpful a la influenza.
2. If the Israelis are right, the Pfizer/Moderna mRNA-based vaccine isn't as effective as early trials indicated, but it's probably better than nothing. There are other vaccines coming down the pike that might be more effective (I just got my first shot in athe Phase 3 clinical trial of a more traditional protein-based vaccine).
3. "The science" hasn't demonstrated any significant correlation between mask usage and reduced transmission of COVID-19. Mask-wearing is a politically mandated religious ritual. But if it makes you feel better or makes your life easier, go for it.