Every single bit of this "controversy" could have been avoided if "experts" didn't rush to make judgments and statements.

"Based on the wealth of data we have in the past century since the Spanish Flu pandemic, especially on mask-wearing in Southeast Asia and its effect on seasonal respiratory illnesses, it's unlikely masks will have a dramatic effect on transmission.

Still, we'll continue to do research on their efficacy on this virus and this illness. We encourage people to do what they feel makes them safe. We will continue to update recommendations as they meet empirical results. Thank you."

I just don't know how they fucked it up so bad. They torched their credibility and then stood slack-jawed as people refused to believe them.