It's been obvious for more than a year that it's possible to eliminate the virus entirely and then reopen society with very few restrictions. This approach saves lives, gives people the ability to live their lives normally, and is better for the economy. China, Australia, New Zealand and a few other countries have demonstrated this.
Why we're still arguing about this is beyond me. The question isn't what the best strategy is - it's why most developed countries can't/don't/won't implement the most effective strategy.