That narrative ignores the actual flip-flopping on masks. First we were told not to use them because they were ineffectual (probably an attempt to hoard PPE for health care workers) then we were told that we had to wear them. So do you believe what the scientists (Fauci in particular) said initially, or believe what they said next, completely contradicting themselves and not explaining how the science had changed.

A lot of us accept that science is constantly growing and only gives us the best answers we have in the moment (as opposed to hard truths like in mathematics). That's a strength of science! When there's a sudden change in alleged consensus for no apparent reason, it seems political.