the problem with letting a virus ‘run thru the pop’ is the assumption that the virus will mutate to a weakened state the further the spread. From what we see worldwide over the past 3 months, that assumption is contradicted. In fact, if the virus was around since Oct or Nov with few infected, it’s mutated stronger with time, not weaker.
That really depends on if previous deaths were diagnosed as pneumonia with no eye to COVID-19.