Can you prove those mitigations were worth their incredible cost to society? Can you prove they were, in fact, valuable for the population?

The fact we still debate the effect of these mandates means it wasn't worth it. The fact we jumped into all these crazy mandates with nary a shred of evidence they'd even work is batshit insane.

And last I checked, humans have quite a few inalienable rights. We violated many of them and then mocked people who objected. Apparently not as inalienable as we thought if the masses demand it.

There are folks who will gleefully spend unlimited amounts of time arguing that the earth is flat, so the notion that because a position has merit solely because attracts individuals who will argue it is ludicrous on it's face.

Incidentally, if you are convinced that there was no evidence to support social separation and masking I'm guessing you don't wear respiratory PPE as part of either your work or a hobby, don't know anyone who does, and haven't spent any time researching filtration grades and their mechanisms of efficacy. In any case there are several industries ranging from mold abatement to biopharmacology and even chipmaking that would like a word with you.

When difficult things happen some folks will pick and whine and complain and make themselves the center of attention. And some will pitch in and help. It's clear how that went in this difficult time.

ho yeah and we saw how effective the measures were, every person I know has got Covid !

...which is the expected outcome and in line with all recommendations. It's this confusion I was talking about.

Public health measures were to slow the spread and not overwhelm medical resources, and to give time for better measures to be developed. Which has happened. Some folks cooperated with this, and some rebelled. And some spewed hate and misinformation.

Of course they have. The aphormis "fuck around and find out" has definitely enjoyed it's time in the sun thanks to the pandemic. Now if everyone you knew had spent the last three years voluntarily quarantined and only ventured in public wearing rated PPE with the correct fitment you might have a point, so how about it?