NPR? What does NPR have to do with it? And I do not mean any disrespect, but there is a big difference between scientists having a consensus based on the science and a public policy not wanting to “appear weak”???? I honestly think you are projecting your personal beliefs onto what other people are saying. What exactly does “appearing weak” mean to you? Why do you think medical professionals are afraid to appear weak? What does weak have to do with any of this? It is not a competition.

You have hit the nail on the head. It is very, very, very easy to demonize people that you do not know. The overwhelming majority of people have never met a scientist, so it is very easy to think they are all corrupt. The overwhelming majority of people do not know how “science” works or happens, so it is very easy to say it is all wrong. They have no idea how drugs are tested, how efficiency is evaluated, or any trials are conducted, so they say it is all a lie.

And this sewing of distrust for political/tv/click gains has literally cost millions of additional lives :(

Yeah I don’t think you can say Trump is effectively pro-vaccine when he had so many months downplaying & denying the disease’s severity, longevity; the very existence of the pandemic. How much cognitive dissonance does he expect his supporters to handle when the denial went on for months, then all of a sudden an about-face in support of the vaccine? He expected to take credit for something he said was unnecessary & a political lie for months and months? Too little, too late. And what did he do as soon as he got a few “boos”? He stoped talking about it. Interesting watching Trump “screw over” himself. He could have gone down in history as a savior. Too bad instead millions more lives were lost than necessary.

I am a little confused by your comment, because in my recollection literally every single public statement had the disclaimer you mention- that it (was) based on the information available at the time.