Moving the goalposts. I didn't say general population, I said masks. Efficacy will be tested where it can be observed. I.e. very unlikely that a trial with high confidence will ever work on the public.
Also, given your arguments, what is your position on the efficacy of lockdowns vs. their negative effects?
The evidence on masks was thin, and limited to use by professionals in a medical setting
Go find a study showing the effectiveness of masks for prevention of infection in the general population published before 2020.