[btbuildem]

They recommend against it, because recommending the use of masks would expose the universal lack of availability of even basic surgical masks. The on-demand system in the US cannot cope with events like this (no stockpiles).

So, they're recommending we don't use masks, so that more masks are available for medical professionals, so that when most of us get sick via community transmission (because we don't have masks), the medical professionals can also run out of masks while they treat us.

[mindslight]

Just a nit - mask production could have been ramped up throughout January and February, by executive order if necessary, if the virus had been acknowledged as a threat instead of simply being ignored for two months.