Well done, but my point stands: While we can change the shape of the infection curve with marginally effective PPE (we have certainly lengthened it; “flattened it” if you prefer), we’ve done really nothing to change the area under the curve. That is, the virus continues to run its, albeit modified, course.
Agreed the virus continues its work a bit slower, but in this case what we’ve done is bought time while work is finished on a vaccine. President Trump says we’ll have a safe and effective vaccine very soon. Two of the three vaccine makers currently in phase 3 clinical trials have stated they expect to have a working vaccine this year. Oxford executives went before Congress and stated they expected to have “emergency doses” available in September or October.
We’re at about 170,000 deaths right now with ~8% of the country having had this thing. We don’t want another 20 or 30% or more to have it if we can avoid it with a vaccine. Doesn’t mean shut anything down, but basic precautions like hand washing, social distancing, and good masks worn correctly and when appropriate slow the spread while the vaccine is deployed. And the sooner we get a well tested, safe, and effective vaccine widely deployed, the sooner the masks, social distancing, and all the rest of it can end.