COVID is likely not going away, just like OC43 (likely jumped species around 1890, aka the “Russian flu”) didn’t go away. Our bodies (those that survived) just learned to live with it. At this point, kids are exposed to OC43 early on, get a cold, and develop an immunity that protects them as more vulnerable adults. We can’t socially distance forever and imprison people behind screens forever. We’re not psychologically designed to “socially distance” — we’re social animals.
And guess what? Such mutations can happen with ANY virus. Even common-cold viruses can mutate to be lethal. The best we can do is vaccinate the vulnerable, get back to normal, and hope for the best:
What’s the alternative. Alter our entire society to interact in person less and subject people to psychological trauma and suffering due to loneliness and skin hunger?