I expect that as the lockdowns cost about 80 billion euros last time and we are no longer living in the spending paradise where the government basically gets paid for borrowing money they can choose between no lockdown or lockdown without supporting businesses. And the latter means either the businesses will not accept and implement the lockdown or half of them will collapse and tank the economy.

Its all cleverly excused by the Ukraine war but that is of course not the only reason for the enormous inflation; it’s also the monumental economic damage caused by the COVID measures.

If you look at the inflation corrected price of fuel since 1974 it isn't that bad actually.

Sure, but the problem is that wages haven’t been inflation adjusted. Literally everything else is, but labor is suppressed sadly.

Your comment about fuel is definitely valid. However, what is so special about COVID as it currently stands now in 2022? There is zero hope of containing it, as it has become endemic so lockdowns are pointless. There are several vaccines and effective treatments available. It is not significantly more deadly than several other common ailments like typical influenza variants. I understand why we all did what we did in 2019-2020, perhaps even early 2021, but why are we still treating COVID like it’s a special case?

> why are we still treating COVID like it’s a special case

Because it invokes strong reactions and calls for action, versus “seasonal flu”.