Fauci said exactly that. He told the general public a lie because he was concerned that the health sector would not have enough masks.
He could have told everyone to wear bandanas or other homebrew mouth coverings but he did not.
He could have told everyone to wear bandanas or other homebrew mouth coverings but he did not.
I was not speculating in my comment, this is Fauci's own admission.
Source: https://www.thestreet.com/video/dr-fauci-masks-changing-dire...