I'm pretty sure everyone who can manufacture masks are doing so. Markets can only adjust so fast and we don't have time to wait.

There are two exceptions: one, people who can manufacture masks at great expense but not at market prices. Two, people who could stock up on masks for the next pandemic but now won't because they'll expect the government to disparage their product.

> if you discourage mask buying you're discourage mask manufacturing

how is this true?

Masks are made by manufacturers with the intent to sell them, so if you reduce mask buying and force down mask prices you will reduce the manufacturer's incentive to come up with amazing ways to turn out massive quantities of masks, and you discourage them from preparing in advance for the next pandemic.

We already have a shortage of masks, though... all the incentives to make more masks are there, but we aren't making them fast enough.

you sound like a maximalist capitalist.