There weren’t enough masks for health care workers at the time and we were facing a possible meltdown of the entire health care industry (and societal meltdown)

There weren’t enough masks for health care workers at the time and we were facing a possible meltdown of the entire health care industry (and societal meltdown). Advising people not to hoard masks, and instead leave them for health care workers, was probably the right move. Even if our government said “go get masked up” nothing would’ve changed, as proper masks were out of stock for months. I’m not saying the deception was necessary, just illustrating it’s not black and white. It would’ve become a partisan issue regardless with Trump doing his performative masculinity routine and refusing to wear them.