Her in the PRC (California) it was drastic. And some of the illegal, outrageous mandates were hard to ignore. Business closures, job elimination and "get jabbed or get fired" that resulted loss of firefighters and police officers, for example. Other things like the 10pm curfew were almost universally ignored.

It was of course arbitrary. Some things made sense: gun stores were of course first and foremost "nonessential" - and of course liquor stores and pot shops are "essential" because a stoned population is more compliant. Sense in terms of the overall goals of The Party - the people should be disarmed and dulled.

And it was serious stuff in some places. My SO's company works for the US Navy. She was told her work was "essential" and her people were to continue to work, but lord Newsom did not agree. He ordered all offices closed except those he ordained and her company wasn't one. When getting off the freeway to drive to the office, the Santa Clara PD were blocking the road, telling people to go home or get arrested. Yup, right in the middle of silicon valley. She instructed her people to comply (no budget for lawyers or bail). She contacted her customer and received letters for every member of her team to carry - signed by the Secretary of the Navy - that they were "essential" and instructing LE to let them pass. Armed with "their papers" they were able to get to work.

That's when it became clear to me health had nothing whatever to do with the COVID response.