There were pockets of resistance to mask wearing in the 1918 flu pandemic, but it was not widespread. https://www.history.com/news/1918-spanish-flu-mask-wearin

There were pockets of resistance to mask wearing in the 1918 flu pandemic, but it was not widespread. https://www.history.com/news/1918-spanish-flu-mask-wearing-resistance https://www.history.com/news/1918-spanish-flu-mask-wearing-r... Also, they didn't have government leadership publicly questioning the wisdom of mask wearing.