That's very selective remembering you're doing there. Plenty of scientists were urging for lockdown and there was clearly undue heed paid to a certain subgroup of behavioural scientists from the cabinet offices nudge unit.
Not sure how we could have had research on Covid prior to its discovery but you can't, although I'm looking forward to you doing it anyway, claim that masking hasn't been an accepted, verified and unarguably effective method of infection control for quite some time.
The fact it's a bit annoying and has become a culture wars battleground is really a pretty sad state of affairs and indicative of the post truth "we've had enough of experts" wasteland of national discourse developed over the last few years.
I'm sure if there were social media kudos points for saying you can safely stick your fingers in plug sockets or take the toaster for a bath, you'd be here arguing for these too. You total hazard.