But people in Asia were doing it by choice, so some did it and some didn't. They were being allowed to make a personal choice - so yes it isn't surprising their personal sense of freedom wasn't decimated.

However, this "freedom" wouldn't necessarily be my main argument, and I personally don't like this description of 19 July as "Freedom day". Instead I would argue the role of masks is changing with regard to stopping the spread. Previously the masks were one of the few layers which might stop passing of the virus from one person to another. If you were in proximity with someone else there really wasn't much else stopping the spread otherwise. Things have progressed and there are many more layers of protection now as those vaccinated are much less likely to become infected, and if they do are much less likely to transmit it on, and those they encounter who are much less likely to become infected etc. Quite simply masks are becoming much less important than they were before.

I note that no one seemed to get that excited about masks when school children no longer had to wear them back in May - even though schools have consistently been one of the top places for spread of the virus and a way to enable transmission between households so I really do not see why the change post 19 July has to be any more controversial.