I tend to disagree with this take. I think we've known for quite some time (at least since the Influenza epidemic of 1918) that masks can help prevent the spre

I tend to disagree with this take. I think we've known for quite some time (at least since the Influenza epidemic of 1918) that masks can help prevent the spread of viruses of this sort. At first in the US, the recommendation was to not wear a mask. The reasoning was that we weren't sure about whether airborne or surface-borne spread was more of a factor (remember the huge shortages of hand sanitizer), and we wanted to prevent a run on masks, so that we would have enough masks for health care workers. This then gets into the reasons why we didn't have enough PPE on hand in our strategic reserve which is more of a political question. So in the case of the US at least, I think we are aware of the proper strategies, but many people, from the top down, refuse to adopt and/or promote those strategies.