Why masks were not required at the start of the pandemic

Many wonder why masks weren’t required at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s the answer according to the Mayo Clinic:

So why weren’t face masks recommended at the start of the pandemic? At that time, experts didn’t know the extent to which people with COVID-19 could spread the virus before symptoms appeared. Nor was it known that some people have COVID-19 but don’t have any symptoms.

Check out the article for more info and a breakdown on how effective masks are against coronavirus.