Who suggested that?
Anyway, the idea that widespread pandemic denial or refusal to follow precautions is the reason for Covid's spread is just wrong: https://www.statnews.com/2020/12/23/put-straw-man-pandemic-d...
"The claim is a straw man: there is no epidemic of pandemic denial. Polls since March have shown that Americans overwhelmingly aren’t in denial: They believe the threat of Covid-19 is real, they are reasonably good at identifying medical misinformation, and they are largely complying with public health recommendations. Compared to their peers in Europe, Americans are more willing to get vaccinated against Covid-19, similarly likely to wear masks, and no more prone to believe common conspiracy theories about the pandemic’s origins.
The U.S.’s response to Covid-19 has been bungled in many respects, but widespread public denial doesn’t explain why."
We had a President who denied its very existence/threat. We have mega-churches and weddings of thousands of people. We have governors and other local leaders who STILL refuse to wear masks in public. We have states allowing large public sporting events. We have representatives and entertainment news networks pushing laughable conspiracy theories at an alarming volume - all of which empower and support the anti-mask movement. We have grown adults throwing temper tantrums in private businesses for having to wear a mask.
That masks and covid prevention measures became politicized at all will be one of the greatest shames of our generation.