Alternatively admitting that makes one look better than admitting “I didn’t know” or even “I was wrong”. The inability of public health officials to simply say

Alternatively admitting that makes one look better than admitting “I didn’t know” or even “I was wrong”. The inability of public health officials to simply say “we got X wrong” when they pivot massively erodes trust; ironically admitting “we were wrong; we know better now” would have done the opposite: it would have increased trust.