A pandemic is immune to rhetoric.

Back in reality, we should have quarantined those that were infected, tested anyone we suspected of having it, and told risk groups like the elderly to stay home and shelter in place.
We didn't do that. We shut down the economy and now millions more people will die from starvation.

What makes you think it wasn't about stunting the world economy? It clearly was globally engineered and not U.S centric. On the local side it only served to try sink Trump but the boat still floats.

"A pandemic is immune to rhetoric."

But not immune to being purposely spread throughout the world whether man made or naturally having occurred.
And not immune to being used as a crisis into which subversive actors individual and state push for and manipulate populations and try implement their agendas which otherwise would never be agreed to by free people. The only ones who would agree without questioning are those people who would also take others freedoms and believe in a governments abilities to correct the problem. When you are to stupid to realise it's Governments who kill people in the greatest numbers you deserve to be killed by your government.
As to an endless shutdown, there isn't too many saying endless. More like until the elections is what I read/heard. Endless is an exageration isn't it. You cant rid the virus by staying at home so best tear off the bandaid and get back to work.