I don't know where you are, but here (Portugal) even suggesting that a full on lockdown isn't the solution brands you as a bad person, only caring about work/money and not about people and you should just stay home and shut up. Interesting, now that some restrictions are lifting, the dialogue is changing and 'people shouldn't be so afraid of the virus' but before all you heard 'STAY HOME'. Trying to discuss even numbers would brand you as an heretic.

Some specialists (and I mean heads of research/hospitals) were pretty much shut down by media in the beginning by suggesting that we should be wearing masks/avoid big gatherings, but still go outside and live a normal'ish life. They were shut down hard and talking parrots with 'stay home' replaced them.

Having everyone wear mask would have been a proper solution had there been enough of them for everyone.

But the stocks were so badly depleted there were not enough of them for critical workers...

Also, getting widespread compliance outside of Asia would have been hard before the lockdowns, when public figures left and right were minimizing the threat.

I don't think (if we had them) compliance would have been a problem if government just dictated their usage by law like they are doing now. You use it or you don't enter the shop, simple. But lying about it (we even have a meme with the head of the national health organisation screaming that masks don't work) made everything more difficult. Now because of that, some people actually think they don't work and try not to use them.

But instead, as usual, instead of being truthful to people, lies were said because of lack of supplies, which takes any kind of credence for future rules/advice as people will (rightfully) suspect of them.

I wonder if the lies were informed by empirical social psychology, or if they were based on our leaders’ level of selfishness projected onto the general population...

there weren't enough scarves for everyone? Because random cotton face coverings is what the US govt wound up recommending. And the mask shortage was solved long, long ago, but lockdown wasn't lifted. And if there was a shortage it's because the government (and hospitals) failed basic disaster preparedness, but I don't hear any mea culpas coming from govt or other guilty parties.

French officials have admitted they lied initially because of the mask shortages, which weren’t solved until recently.

I agree they lacked preparedness. They also reacted far too late ( the lockdown was postponed in France to hold local elections mid-March. From what I’ve heard all political parties were on board with that plan, even though the opposition is now using it against the govt.).