This is called "Fuckery:" I tell you a lie. You know it's a lie. I know you know it's a lie. But you have to pretend that you believe it because of the power I have over you.

The Fuckery is a demonstration of that power.

It is called sycophancy. That's how the powerful and the wealthy are enabled by underlings.

Like the Covid, the “you don’t need masks” and the “We didn’t know”?

Yes. It serves to identify the people who will go along with lies and bullshit and who won't speak out

It's a test of loyalty via a show of power