Yeah, and the rest of the world still said "masks are a good idea" through all of that. It was pretty obvious what the CDC was up to at the time (trying not to cause panic buying, etc) but it was a terrible idea for them to do it.
Edit: [0] is a archived version of the WHO public advice about when to use mask from late april. It probably was up even longer:
> If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with COVID-19. Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing. Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water. If you wear a mask, then you must know how to use it and dispose of it properly.
[0] https://web.archive.org/web/20200421063423/https://www.who.i...