Between Molnupiravir, the monoclonal antibody treatments, and now potentially Fluvoxamine is there any doubt still at the value of delaying infection? I think people often take on a fatalistic binary perspective with this virus and herd immunity.
Yes with the Delta variant we are unlikely to reach herd immunity and will likely have SARS-COV-2 as an endemic virus. But as the last few months have shown that doesn't mean there is no value in virus mitigation now.
We are significantly changing the risk landscape of even breakthrough infections.
Changes to the standard of care on the horizon:
-Remdesivir to be available early
-Monoclonal antibodies more widely available
-Molnuliravir and Fluvoxamine (maybe in combination) early in disease
-Higher doses of steroids in selected hospitalized patients
The longer you delay infection, the better off you will be once infected. Your odds of death go down.
As an added bonus, if enough people manage to put off infection, you can get care from a hospital that is not overwhelmed.