“Well, I do believe that with the concept of herd immunity that greater numbers of people will succumb to this pathogen.“
Just to help everyone out the herd immunity way does not increase the number of deaths, just as flattening the curve does not decrease the amount of deaths. The overall number of deaths will be similar with both approaches, the duration though will be massively different.
Had we done what we normally do this covid would have been done and dusted months ago. All we did with our upending of society is to prolong the virus. I see no reason to allow a virus to run any longer than is necessary.
I agree with that, I was imprecise, but you get the point.
People will be far less alarmed if a million people die over five years rather than a million die in six months, and it is the perception that is driving things.