Quote Originally Posted by dankrutka View Post
Again, shelter-at-home OR everyone gets it are not the only options. There are sensible middle ground approaches. The herd immunity end game seems to be a way worse option than tests + masks + social distancing + widespread precautions to get us through the year+ until there's a vaccine. Most things can re-open under those circumstances. Probably not indoor (or crowded) concerts or clubs and such will probably need to stay closed for longer. But businesses that impose temporary COVID-19 limitations (e.g., every third table can be used) could open. A lot of people will certainly choose to be less social until there's a vaccine and so carry out/delivery will continue to be popular.
I'm not sure if you can really call "tests + masks + social distancing + widespread precautions" a middle ground. With everything we've seen with non-symptomatic carriers and the long incubation period of covid-19, life can't just go back to normal. Keeping office buildings, classrooms, or even restaurants 1/3 full and scheduling arrivals and use of the facilities so that people don't try to walk through the door or use the restroom at the same time won't work. Daily tests to see "Have I been infected today?" and the constant fear of anyone around you who so much as sniffles or coughs would send therapist bills through the roof. This is just a delaying tactic that is going to hurt lots of people (not just the ones who die).

Coronaviruses are apparently very difficult to create vaccines for as everyone who's gotten a cold can tell you. The wonder drugs which are supposedly supposed to solve everything seem to have dubious value. I'd be amazing if modern science were to come up with a solution and regulatory shortcuts were to get it into wide distribution, but that can't be the plan. The only way out of this that I can see is the long slow slog of building immunity while keeping high risk groups protected.