It was deadly enough to the elderly. 1.5% was still too high. Even in its lowest estimates it was still more than 10 fold the worst seasonal flu. Not near as bad as SARS Covid 1, but deadly enough to put most of the financially liable world into 'greater good' (read as self-serving) CYA mode. Hence shutdowns and mandates.
Now that it's fallen even with Influenza A (even more so with the omicron subvariant) there's no reason to care, and everyone has now lived through a 100 year pandemic in the more advanced scientific age. Maybe that leads to the 100 year war?
Covid can finally now end as we all await for Russia to fuck up Ukraine, the next worldwide distraction. The initial invasion will coincide with the closing Ceremonies in Beijing. And without NATO, "Ukraine is weak", with more used rusted Soviet era equipment than pre-taliban Afghanistan.
I look forward to a Hopi-esque apocalypse of disharmony and increasingly destructive adversity befalling all civilization. Not quite 536 CE, but approaching those levels of dysfunction. Maybe even in this generation?