Exactly so. The virus is becoming (or has already become) endemic. The vast majority of people have been vaccinated. Things really aren't going to get any better - as far as the epidemic goes, at least - than they are now.
Logically, anything people are still doing now 'to be cautious' will still need to be doing those things 2, 10, or 50 years from now.
This is precisely the issue we now face, nationally.
The virus is
obviously not going to go away. Anyone who thinks at this stage that the virus can or indeed should be 'eliminated' or even 'suppressed' has clearly not thought rationally about the prevalence of the virus or the severe economic, social and wider public health implications of continuing to support such ridiculously disproportionate statutory interventions.
The argument that we must be 'cautious' is simply a way for those in government to pander (and I'm sorry to say, but it is at this stage a case of pandering) to those who are still afraid of the virus due to the disgustingly aggressive, over-the-top government and media messaging issued earlier this year.
I am
not blaming anyone for supporting these measures out of anxiety/being afraid of catching this virus (I have developed and managed to resolve a pretty severe case of health anxiety earlier this year, and I completely understand how it feels). I
am blaming an incompetent, clueless government for not considering the wider impact (particularly on mental wellbeing) of approving TV adverts showing someone dying in a hospital on a ventilator, with a suggestion that not following the 'precautions' would result in an individual and/or their loved ones from ending up in this position.
It is expected that people, particularly those who were shielding and/or classed as vulnerable, will still feel a degree of fear surrounding this virus. I do not blame them for taking personal measures (there are some effective things they can do to protect themselves should they wish to do so, including wearing an FFP2 or FFP3 mask, avoiding crowded places/events and practising good hand hygiene). I am, however, very concerned that instead of this sensible position, we are now defaulting to a society where it is a legal requirement for everyone to face highly disruptive and, in some cases, completely ineffective and pointless measures (such as population wide face-covering mandates) just to pander to those who have been worst-affected by the disgracefully aggressive government campaigns. We are also placing healthy people under statutory house arrest just to ensure those who are anxious feel 'safer' and more assured to go about their daily lives (there is no real reason to still isolate those who are carrying but not suffering from the virus, it is endemic and we now have wide population immunity, from an epidemiological perspective this seems insane).
I suspect that the calls to reimpose even harsher restrictions will just get louder and louder as winter approaches and cases inevitably rise. I can see Sturgeon and Drakeford reimposing certain restrictions (such as social distancing, closing nightclubs, introducing alcohol bans and curfews on hospitality and perhaps even travel restrictions) as this will, politically, stand them in good stead (particularly from the media, who will doubtless praise their 'sensible caution' rather than calling out this insanity for what it really is). Retaining any population restrictions beyond this point is pointless and wasting money for no reason, as the virus is endemic and will, at one point or another, spread to all of us.