[maxerickson]

An actual competent, coordinated federal response starting in January/February and leaders all calling for mask wearing as soon as it became obvious it made some difference and we'd have meany fewer deaths (and probably a more active economy!).

Neither of those things come anywhere close to "avoiding all risk", they are just simple things that were not done, with no good explanation. Wearing a mask in certain public circumstances isn't emasculating or any kind of meaningful impingement on freedom.