Ask Lemmygrad

Capital opposes mask mandates because they discourage certain types of consumption and can act as a constant reminder of the pandemic, which further suppresses consumption as people choose to stay home. Any and all obstacles to consumption are anathema and China couldn't risk capital strike. Further, internal discontent about mask mandates are also a huge concern. The majority of people do not care about getting sick or getting others sick, unfortunately, and asking them to mask forever is not really possible.

Air quality, on the other hand, mostly only improved during zero COVID because of reduced traffic and reduced industrial demands for power. Unfortunately China can't exactly keep what were essentially degrowth policies in place to continue to increase air quality without harming the country itself. They need to be as productive as possible now more than ever as the US begins ratcheting up the trade war and pushing us towards WW3. Their plan seems to be electrification and green energy, though unlike the West seem to actually be doing it.

Not like it's going to matter once bird flu hits :V