well in a way there are air passage that goes to the nose and eyes... but you can get infected just getting sneezed on your face/eyes or any infectious airborne. when ever there exposed soft tissues (under eylids or even your lower orifice are passages for infection) atleast thats how i understood it.
A couple of articles online are saying masks are mainly for preventing you from infecting others, and you should only wear them if you yourself are sick.
I have heard a lot of local people saying you shouldn't wear a mask at all because it is just making people panic.
I can't say one way or another, but there is a stigma against wearing face masks in public here in the states right now though, and a lot of people I hear and talk with are saying you shouldn't wear one or that they do not plan to wear one.