I hardly think making people face the consequences of their actions is authoritarian, nor is it worse than the callous disregard for other people's lives that m

I hardly think making people face the consequences of their actions is authoritarian, nor is it worse than the callous disregard for other people's lives that many are demonstrating through their actions. People who refuse to take basic precautions are externalizing the costs of their decisions onto the rest of society. Litigation is one way society deals with that problem. If someone went around having unprotected sex without telling their partners, then I don't see a problem with a civil suit from anyone they infected to make them pay for the damages they inflicted. If I were to distort your view like you did mine, I'd say that you're arguing for the ability to go around punching anyone else in the face because to prevent you from doing so would be starting down a slippery slope that would lead to authoritarianism.