Maybe now, but that was not at all a sanctioned idea at the time, if we only listened to health experts as you suggest. [0][1][2]

[0] https://www.who.int/news-room/articles-detail/updated-who-re...

[1] https://www.statnews.com/2020/01/31/as-far-right-calls-for-c...

[2] https://euobserver.com/coronavirus/147576