I have to disagree on your assessment about whether our science community based the advice on polls from Republican voters.

I was in favor of masks (might have helped since I lived in Asia previously), and debating people early on about the usage. I don't know about now, but there was a lack of published evidence on non n95 masks, and even the use of n95 masks were debatable because of fit tests.

As someone else pointed out, this is what Sweden says to this day.

"The scientific evidence around the effectiveness of face masks in combatting the spread of infection is weak, which is why different countries have arrived at different recommendations."

I doubt the Swedes are trying to sway the US election.

https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/the-public-health-agency...