@coldjoint,
the "first " time , many idiots didnt believe in masks so didnt wear em and nobody made it mandatory.
SCience has shown for a looong time that masks do help. It was still made a political thing , mostly by the conservative types.
Then with an idiot predident sending his stupid videos of him maskless, people didnt know what to believe.
I hope theyve since learned. Apparently theres still a healthy "stupid contingent"
Japan did a great job by being compliant and wearing masks and keeping distances.