Because there was a critical shortage of masks in hospitals treating COVID and people were hoarding them, and it was unclear at the time that asymptomatic carri

Because there was a critical shortage of masks in hospitals treating COVID and people were hoarding them, and it was unclear at the time that asymptomatic carriers could be contagious. Once there was no longer a critical shortage in hospitals and it became clear that the asymptomatic could very much spread it, he quickly switched his position. It was an entirely sensible position.