Seems the only path forward is a combination of treatments that can keep you alive

[Yavin4]

Like with HIV/AIDs, there is no full cure but a combination of different medicine/treatments that will prevent you from dying from covid-19. You just live with the disease. There won't be a vaccine for a couple of years, if ever.

Once we have the treatments in place, we can re-open.

[Blues Heron]

1. Don't most people clear out the virus

Leaving only antibodies in their blood? Your saying everybody becomes permanently infected?

[Yavin4]

3. Not quite. More like if you get it, you don't die.

You may get it, and you may get really sick, even need hospitalization, but you won't die.

[NutmegYankee]

6. But do most become sick again?

Some diseases stay with you for life, like chicken pox and Cytomegalovirus, but you are otherwise healthy. (I know, Shingles sucks...) HIV will kill you without medicine.

[TwilightZone]

2. "live with the disease"

It's not a permanent, long-term disease. If you're trying to compare it to something like diabetes, you'd be wrong.

We don't know that there won't be a vaccine available. Several are already in trials and showing some promise.

What there likely won't be is a standard treatment, because the reactions to the virus vary widely.

Not sure how conjecture like this helps, but hey, you be you.

[Yavin4]

4. Preventing death is the most likely outcome at this point.

I'm using HIV/AIDs as an example.

[flamingdem]

5. Problem is that there can be long lasting damage to lungs, kidneys, heart

So this is not going to be enough to reduce fear, at least of those who read medical reports.

[DBoon]

7. more like polio than the flu