They ALWAYS knew it was aerosolized, not "droplets only" - that's why a top doctor from the state of New York on April 20, 2020 told NBC news that "In the middle of a pandemic, it might make some people feel better to wear a mask, and it might even [air finger quotes] BLOCK A DROPLET, but it's not providing the perfect protection people think it is, and often there are unintended consequences" [constantly touching the mask to adjust it, spreading viruses and bacteria].
They ALWAYS knew it was aerosolized, not "droplets only" - that's why a top doctor from the state of New York on April 20, 2020 told NBC news that "In the middle of a pandemic, it might make some people feel better to wear a mask, and it might even [air finger quotes] BLOCK A DROPLET, but it's not providing the perfect protection people think it is, and often there are unintended consequences" [constantly touching the mask to adjust it, spreading viruses and bacteria].
That doctor was Tony "The Ratface" Fauci.