but the public relations is a major part of the reason for partial containment.
Public relations works—until it does not any more.
It bought a week or two of calm—so some of us who ignored official statements went out and did our prepping thing.
But—there is a price to be paid.
It is called credibility.
I no longer believe anything anybody says—and have to verify everything. But—that is because public officials have been lying about stuff for decades—and I noticed.
But—cynical old-timers like me are the minority.
You do _not_ want a society of cynics like me.
Because—the next time the public officials have something important and true to say—they will be ignored.