If you walk past someone who is contagious that day and you are not wearing a mask, you would pick up whatever amount of the virus the person was shedding into the air from their nose and mouth. But if you were wearing an N95 or KN95, you probably would not pick up airborne virus particles. Or not get enough to contract the disease. The article does not say that masks won't work.
But, it is also possible to pick up the virus through physical contact. If their clothing or hands have viral particles on them, or if they have any of the dust from rodent feces or urine on them after their initial contact, and you touch the clothes or the person's hands you could transfer the virus to your own clothes or body. If you rub your eyes, or eat something without washing your hands after contact, you would transfer the virus inside your own body.
So, the virus can travel in the air the first day that the infected person develops a fever. Or, it can enter your body if you touch infected clothing or body of an infected person and then touch your hands to your eyes or mouth.
I would definitely wear a mask if there was any indication of risk.
But the virus is not common. Not all rodents are infected with it, only 10% to 30% of them. The chances are that most people would not encounter it unless near a nesting or feeding area of an infected rodent.
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