I've been on vacay but have been pretty much done with this thread for a month or so. The COVID emergency is over since that SNL skit and barring a super new variant it's going to play out in a way that makes no one happy. Team reason essentially won most of the argument.
Mexico opened my eyes as to how this is playing out...lot's of security theatre there: masks, still scrubbing down, temp checks, but everyone pretty much thinks the regs are stupid and don't do anything. It's like the TSA. Lots of the infrastructure like distancing markers remains in place and some is actually permanent because they just assume the govt will bring back regulations the next time a killer flu surfaces.
Essentially in the immediate future no one is going to be happy. We aren't going to be doing hard core containment measures or mass vaccination mandates. The offices won't be going back to 100 percent capacity any time soon (too much competition from remote friendly employers....which means Manhattan in particular is in for a world of hurt). Mask mandates will pop up in blue cities from time to time if cases rise. They'll be stupid nonsensical rules like toddlers masking while adults can cram NY restaurants. 10 percent or so of the population will remain fearful and the media will periodically pump up a panic. Eventually things will fizzle back to "normal" but it's going to take quite a bit of time to ease back. How quickly in turn depends on the elections at the end of the year