@KurtE - Simulations are good teachers - a picture is worth a thousand words. They are good at illustrating an event that you know for certain happens, but they are poor predictors of events that you are not sure of. There are a lot of good reasons for wearing a face mask. My biggest is signalling to others that you are taking the virus seriously (so don't crowd my space!).
I just got through both interviews on YouTube with Prof Racaniello, and this man knows what he speaks about. Just watch his 3D simulation of how Endosomes are dragged along Microtubules by protein Motor Units towards the Cell Nucleus (Virology 2020 Lecture#5 Time=34:26
https://youtu.be/aMvnlAfOWec). It will blow your mind.
Prof R's interviews discuss breath, coughs and aerosols and he makes several significant points. Not all inhaled "Virions" will be active pathogens and get on the inside of a cell. Its all a question of statistics. You may need thousands to get infected (we don't yet know). Large droplets contain many more Virions than small ones. Confined spaces (Hospitals/Care Homes) increase the density. The really big droplets will drop rapidly to the floor. Previous viral studies have looked at the statistic figures, so that's why the 6 feet rule has been declared.
@DrGee - I like your "NY Times" reference. It lists the bits of the SARS-CoV-2 proteins that we know about so far. The Virology 2020 lectures will actually tell you in much more detail how these proteins work. There is a "hairpin" effect where a protein strand is folded just like a ladies hairclip. On the very end of the hairclip, and tucked away folded for protection, is a short piece thats the "Spearhead". Triggers at some point cause the hairpin to unfold. It becomes rigidly straight by forming an "alpha helix". Then the spearhead is primed and ready - erect and very strong - ready to jab into a Moby Dick target cell, like a harpoon fired by Captain Ahab. Its magic, pure magic in the molecular world.
At the end of the last interview, Prof R was asked where on a scale of 0 to 10 does this pandemic compare with previous Viral outbreaks (Ebola, "Classic SARS", MERS...). He qualified his answer as being "medical" and not "economic". Ebola scores 9. SARS-CoV-2 scores a 4 or a 5. It is likely to become "seasonal" in the future, but once the first outbreak has passed by then the next season will be a lot less damaging - as we all get some degree of immunity.
The most light hearted part of the last interview talks about what we should do to be prepared (OK, next time). He then explained that ALL human viruses come from animals. So by studying the viruses inside animals, or from their droppings, we can be ready with vaccines. It is re-assuring to know that we now have a MERS vaccine for Camels!!