[ubertaco]

> In the beginning this was the narrative because there was a shortage of masks, or because of plain ignorance.

Maybe I missed something, but I don't remember ever hearing "masks don't work unless you're a medical professional" (outside of later revisionist accounts by the right-wing "COVID isn't real and this is all a vast conspiracy" crowd); I mostly remember hearing "initial findings show that masks seem to be effective, but supplies are so short that we should ensure that our medical responders have access to them, so please don't go out and panic-buy them like you've been doing with toilet paper."

[namose]

Fauci directly said masks don’t work at the start of covid

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-fauci-outdated-...

[BWStearns]

The more conspiracy minded started parsing "please don't go out and panic-buy them like you've been doing with toilet paper" as "you don't need masks" almost immediately. It was dumb when it happened, it's still dumb today. I'm sure at least one talking head said something to that effect but that was not actually the consensus message.

"Don't buy these masks unless you're a medical professional" ≠ "Masks don't work unless you're a medical professional."

[namose]

Stop doing revisionist history. Fauci said directly that masks don’t work.

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-fauci-outdated-...

It’s fine to be wrong, that’s what science is all about, but at least admit it and explain the reasoning behind the change.

[hackerfromthefu]

Yes, you missed a lot then.