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> Some people around the Western parts of the world still believe in mask mandates, to say nothing of the vaccine mandates if you want to visit their country

Yes, people believe in mask mandates because masks are an effective way to prevent the spread of COVID. This is indisputable, so of course people support mask mandates.

> will have eased up the censorship reflex present in some Western media/social platforms

You can say whatever you want about COVID on social media in the west -- worst case your post is displayed with a warning stating it may be misinformation (and there is a lot of misinformation on western social media).