>>reverence for individual liberty than many so called traditional liberal democracies.

I think that statement on the site you posted is from the perspective of NOT having a non compliant society on something that affects them all. They aren't seeing the type of shit they see from North America. Imagine being from there and seeing people argue over masks, fighting on planes about it, protesting, all this nonsense while living in a country where it's essentially normalized. Of course it's easy to have that point of view or have that opinion that it's up to the individual because you can freely say that as you aren't having a epidemic of stupid people throwing fists and tempter tantrums over it.

>>Until recently. They are experiencing record spikes right now. But it's also easier when you're an island that removed from continental neighbors. They aren't a perfect comparison either (no comparison is) - because they also aren't as transient as a global hub as we are.
But it is ironic: a lot of liberal societies seem to be trending towards more authoritarianism in their approach to the pandemic.

Yeah but I think that spike of a new more transmittable variant in any country is normal. That doesn't really alarm me as far as being suprised. The clogging of the hospitals and severe complications of the unvaccinated/partially vaccinated/immunocompromised is what is alarming to me in ANY country which is why we need to get more people vaccinated.