The Mask Debate

There does seem to be some confusion over the use of face masks with some countries making them mandatory while others say they are next to no use.
My Asians friends tell me they are used in nations such as China, Japan and South Korea not so much as a way to stop yourself from catching diseases but to prevent them passing them on through coughing and sneezing.
The official advice from the World Health Organization is that masks are not a reliable protection as the virus is spread by contact with contaminated surfaces and would only protect you when you're in close quarters with someone infected who might sneeze or cough near your face.
As there already seems to be a shortage of masks to go around to protect health workers who are in close proximity of the infected, mass use by the general population when they have very little benefit just seems to making that situation worse.
Behavioral scientists do believe that the biggest benefit is that it reminds people to act more hygienically by not touching your face and social distancing and that has to be a good thing but not when there is a shortage of masks for the people who most need them.