Look again at the experience of Sweden, where only the vulnerable were protected and the healthy population was allowed to go about life as normal. No masks, no shutdowns, no forced vaccinations. Where are they today? Herd immunity and Covid is just about gone.
Sweden fared far worse than its neighbors and nobody would call it a success, and that was before the delta variant.
Covid cases Sweden suffered 108,077 cases/million.
Norway had 24,977 cases/million (4.3x lower than Sweden).
Finland had 18,828 cases/million (5.7x lower than Sweden).
Covid deaths Sweden had 1,438 deaths/million.
Norway had 146 deaths/million (9.8x lower than Sweden).
Finland had 176 deaths/million (8.2x lower than Sweden).
Oh please stop with the flu comparison as it makes you look foolish. Yes we lose 35,000 per year to influenza and that is WITHOUT mask mandates, social distancing and shutdowns. We lost over 600,000 people to Covid WITH mask mandates, social distancing and shutdowns.
Do you place any value whatsoever on individual liberty? I do.
I sure do, but I also understand public health and the concern for other Americans. Vaccines are mandated for school kids as well as in the military, with specialized vaccinations when being posted in different overseas countries. Hell, George Washington mandated his troops get vaccinated against smallpox and that vaccine was relatively dangerous. Do you urinate in the streets because of freedom? You don't want to take the vaccine? Fine, then that choice will close some doors for you.