Because they have created a dystopia where everyone assumes that this is the new norm. Masks/ restrictions on personal freedom/ attacks on liberties etc. Hong Kong in some respects is better than most in that her reaction has been to lock the stable doors. Hence relatively few cases and deaths. Further there is no incentive to get vaccinated and it’s just easier to lock people up, pilots, pesky travellers this sort of thing. The joys of a one party state.
And it will take years to unravel this nonsense. Years.