Where does it provide "reasons that the previous common belief was not applicable to this unprecedented pandemic"? I've looked over the article twice and can't

Where does it provide "reasons that the previous common belief was not applicable to this unprecedented pandemic"? I've looked over the article twice and can't see what you're referring to. Furthermore, what's the explanation for the (very counter-intuitive, and at least in this case seemingly incorrect) previous common belief in the first place?