> dying of Covid was considered to be a fine sacrifice to make to keep the economy flowing

What you call "the economy" is actually people living normal lives, trying their best to make joy in a finite lifetime. It is exactly quality of life. Covid shutdowns exactly prioritized quantity over quality.

If as a society we cannot permit the risk dying of Covid or indeed any other risk in life, we may as well stick people in a pod a la battery cells in The Matrix so that they live maximally safe lives.