//mask wearing is a pragmatic and effective way to reduce the spread of the virus but it only works if most people do it//
Absolutely. If it is of FFP2 or FFP3 standard, worn and treated in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations. In fact, such a face mask will provide about 99% protection to the wearer so he will have no need to worry what anybody else does.
What is of absolutely no use whatsoever is a piece of damp cloth, worn under the wearer's nose, dragged in and out of his pocket as required and used for weeks on end. Something like this:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering
The face covering mandate - without restricting the type to be worn to something suitable - was one of the most ridiculous and pointless of (the many) Covid regulations. It served little or no purpose whatsoever other than to instil an atmosphere of fear and foreboding among the population.
People worried about the spread of the latest variant to be recognised can take their own measures as I outlined above. They should not expect others to indulge in nonsense to satisfy their virtue.