Requiring masks in April would have done three things, two of them bad. The good effect is that it would protect more people. But, at that time, masks were very hard to find for most people. So, many people would have had no choice but to violate the order. Secondly, at that time there was a shortage of masks for the health care professionals who needed them most. So masks used for the general population would have exacerbated that problem.
In April, far more businesses and events were closed. There was a stay at home order that should have reduced the need for masks. But if you didn’t have one, you couldn’t get one.
The bigger question for posters on here is are you wearing one now? And if it’s required, will you start wearing one? I’m afraid I know the answer for most people, which ironically is a big part of the reason we need one.
By the way, NC Republican Senator Thom Tillis just urged all North Carolinians to wear a mask any time they’re in public. Republican governors in Ohio and Maryland are requiring them. Let’s get the politics out of the discussion. It’s a public health issue that respects no geographic boundaries or political parties.