I don't think they need to be. At least not within reasonable bounds.

There's certainly an interesting discussion to be had surrounding individual freedoms vs the common good in a pandemic, but I'm not sure as to what extent we can even have those discussions while an embarrassing number of people feel that just being asked to wear a covering over their face in public spaces is an intolerable violation of their personal freedoms. When even the smallest requirements intended to protect the public's health are treated as if they were the harshest forms of oppression imaginable there simply isn't any room left for debate.

Still, for the population that believes a degree of concession can be reasonable and appropriate under such extreme conditions as a global pandemic I think it is possible to strike a good balance between individual freedom and individual and collective responsibility. I think we can work to protect freedoms while also insisting on some measures to help reduce the spread of a virus.

It doesn't have to be an either-or situation at least.