Basic logic, common sense and reasoning were all either thrown out the window or never utilized in the first place. Instead, a fear-based sky-is-falling approach was.
Despite not one single RCT ever being conducted using hydroxychloroquine / zinc / azithromycin the way it's supposed to be used (on vulnerable populations within 5 days of symptom onset), the Great Fauchino dismissed numerous credible observational studies showing it worked. And because of his flawed personal medical philosophy that doesn't even square with what his own nih.gov website says, the lackeys at the CDC and FDA willingly agreed to what this overly powerful bureaucrat spouted so their standing wouldn't be jeopardized. Worse, most medical concerns went along with this because they just blindly go along with what these organizations say.
And once we knew who was vulnerable - the elderly and obese - instead of telling them to isolate or wear only N95 masks (the only kind that work), we acted as if everyone was at serious risk and that cloth and surgical masks actually, but falsely, had any efficacy. Data also show us virtually no one under 40 had to worry about this, much less people under 20. But the corrupt CDC allowed teachers unions to write their guidelines, permanently harming many kids.
The whole way our "leaders" handled this was complete nonsense.