Since everyone is feeling chippy these days, I think:

a) The early US government guidance on masks was obviously very bad

b) “Masks are only helpful if you’re already sick” even if true is very consistent with “you should own a mask in case you get sick.” https://twitter.com/Pinboard/status/1245945961282592768

But speaking personally my first-ever public commentary on masks as a public health issue (published Feb 29, ~4 days after I ordered one) was to question to cogency of the US government’s mask message. https://twitter.com/mattyglesias/status/1233806758843383810?lang=en

At the time I sent that tweet I was not attuned to the differences between N95 respirator masks, medical grade surgical masks, and reusable cloth masks — which in retrospect is a critical series of distinctions to draw.

Many more thoughts on masks, the mask discourse, the public health messaging, etc. here in podcast form. https://megaphone.link/VMP8740376387