I'm watching the coronavirus task force press release right now and the Surgeon General just doubled down and said masks don't protect you from getting the virus, and that medical professionals need them because it protects medical professionals. So he's still lying to you.
My belief is they are deliberately lying because they are managing you rather than informing you. The lie is to encourage compliance on turning over masks to the medical professionals. But even if I'm as generous as possible about their intent, it still has destroyed their credibility.
American public messaging is trying to draw a distinction between proper masks (surgical and N95, needed for medical professionals, no reason for you or I to get them) and coverings (just any piece of cloth in front of our face holes). It seems convoluted but I think it's no longer dishonest.
My belief is they are deliberately lying because they are managing you rather than informing you. The lie is to encourage compliance on turning over masks to the medical professionals. But even if I'm as generous as possible about their intent, it still has destroyed their credibility.