To remove the need periodic need for masks, you need herd immunity. Herd immunity comes from enough people having immunity. You get immunity from A) vaccination or B) catching the virus. A + B needs to = ~80%.

Since anyone (except kids) that wants to get vaccinated, can get vaccinated in the US now, and has been able to for a long time.. A is now a constant. It's not going to go up. It's at 49% forever.

That means so 49% + B needs to = 80%. That means B needs to be 31%.

It's absolutely disgusting that people won't get vaccinated, but it is what it is. What other options are there than to get to 80% than via B going up?

If everyone wears masks in America now, isn't that just slowing down how long it takes to get B? What's the point?