I agree with you, but if people in China are spending hours in line trying to get a mask, they're almost certainly not altruistically trying to improve the public health situation -- they've been misinformed about what the mask is going to do for them.
Let's be realistic here -- when the public is in a panic, their behavior gets worse, not better.
Isn't there also a shortage of masks because everyone's snapping them up and hoarding them? If people who're actually ill can't get a hold of any because of that then I'd argue they aren't even doing the right thing period.
Let's be realistic here -- when the public is in a panic, their behavior gets worse, not better.