Looks to me like quarantine bends the curve.
It's certainly expensive, but at least we know we have a lever that can alter the trajectory. That's better than being completely helpless.
Again, IMHO, these are the criteria we need to achieve to responsibly relax quarantine:
1. Bend the Curve. Get control of the spread. Push it down below our medical systems saturation point. This also includes increasing out medical capability as well. Complete setup of emergency overlflow facilities in hotels, dorms, convention centers.
2. Get our testing system unscrewed. Given our super-power status, our performance so far has been...embarrassing.
3. PPE. Medical system needs to have what it needs. But also, workers you expect to come back need protective gear just like any other OSHA requirement of hardhats, eye protection, etc.
4. Therapeutics. A vaccine is a long ways off. In the meantime, We need some effective treatments that can help other than aspirin for the sick and sedatives for the dying.
#1: We've made good progress. I don't know if we need to push it down more to get below capacity, but I feel we proven at least one strategy that can bend the curve.
#2: We've made some progress. Apparently there are still swab shortages, reagent shortages, and overload in getting test processed. But we are slowly getting there.
#3: Still a big problem. Not only should our medical system hero's have all they need, but I ought be be able to grab a pack of masks and nitrile gloves at any grocery store.
#4. Some promising green shoots here. Nothing proven. A lot of work being done along various lines of inquiry. We're not there yet, but I'm hopeful we will find something.
My guess is they won't have the will to accomplish all these before trying to lift quarantine. My guess is infections and deaths will begin to rise again. Maybe not as steeply. People have become a lot more paranoid. Good. But I think things will continue to climb and eventually until it gets sufficiently painful and they will have to capitulate and go into some level of quarantine again. Maybe in the Fall.
But at least for now, we've made some welcome progress.