[unethical_ban]

My understanding is that they said that as a path to avoid hoarding of N95 supplies which they knew were in short supply for those who most needed it at the time, medical professionals.

That doesn't aren't right, precisely because it validates conspiracy minded people.

[slowturtle]

The point is that Fauci and the CDC lied to the public about the efficacy of masks, even if they lied with "good" intentions. They simply could've explained that supplies were low and asked people not to hoard them. Instead they lied (one of many times) and acted surprised when people started distrusting them.

[nomel]

> That doesn't aren't right, precisely because it validates conspiracy minded people.

That’s putting it far too lightly. It proved a “conspiracy” 100% true. I had masks early in the pandemic only because a “nutty” colleague said “they’re going to try to take the masks from us” and he brought me a box.

[unethical_ban]

I agree it was terrible, because it undermines public trust.

But now people use those statements to say "aha you people are silly for wearing masks" when that old comment is clearly, well, out of date.

[revelio]

That's the explanation they came up with for why they were lying, but these people are self-admitted liars so why would you believe their lies any further?

If you are in charge of government and worried about mask availability, the right thing to do is pass laws seizing mask supplies. This is easy because they were almost all being imported from China anyway.

The worst possible thing to do would be to assert with 100% confidence that for scientific reasons masks don't work to the entire population including healthcare workers, and then later invert your position over night. Anyone who thinks this is a reasonable way to manage material logistics is clearly far too stupid to be in charge of anything, let alone critical government functions.