It's a cult thinking. They're rabidly supporting vaccines and masks because they believe in them, but because their "cult leaders" told them to do it. None of them believe they're in a cult (no one ever does), but letting others dictate what is safe and what isn't relieves them of the stress of trying to make the call on their own.

People don't want to be wrong. That is why they let someone else tell them what is right. Their identity belongs to their "cult leader"/ "expert".

The problem is not masks, vaccines or any of that. That's surface level. They'd turn against it all in a heartbeat if their leaders/ experts said "no".

The problem is people's refusal to think for themselves. It's not about getting them to say that stuff is bad. It's about getting them to think for themselves and stop rabidly defending the cult.