@ShowMeYourFeline, we've seen what happens in countries that just let it happen - or didn't act until too late. Mass graves in Iran and NYC, overflowing hospitals - and people dying who might have survived because they couldn't get an ambulance quick enough, there were no more beds etc.
As an asthmatic it's been a depressing year with people saying it's a load of fuss over nothing, 'it's only people with pre-existing conditions die.' Well thanks a lot!
The economic costs of lockdown and continual COVID management are significant. But the economic costs of everyone in the country being ill, dying, all at the same time are also significant. The economic costs of a huge portion of the populace (and not just old people) now having ME/CFS, ARDS, chronic heart problems, strokes, and PTSD from being in the ICU is significant.
The biggest cost has not been in acting - it's been in acting too slow. Look at how well South Korea, Taiwan, New Zealand have done - they've managed to keep numbers low, keep normal life going on as much as possible and this means that they won't suffer the diagnosis delays for cancer and other health problems that we will have in our own health system, their shops and pubs will survive better than our shops and pubs.
If mass graves don't tell you it's more than flu, I don't know what will.