Is the multiplayer still active and good for newbies?

Hey guys, so my first COD multiplayer ever is BO6. I played campaign of MW2019 and enjoyed it a lot.

I want to get back into the multiplayer now that I kinda understand loadout and other systems.

Is this game still good for new players or just filled with veterans?

I think I tried MW2 and got destroyed.

I don’t mind having to improve to keep up but I don’t know if I can reasonably get good fast enough lol.

Thanks in advance!

EDIT 1: Just to add more context, I hate having to deal with COD HQ. Even though MW19 has it, not as aggressive with HQ integration