The French government is starting to talk about their plan for "déconfinement" – gradual lifting of stay at home. Part of this is probably to maintain public morale, light at the end of tunnel etc, part of it is planning – which is what French civil servants love above all.

Per the French press the plan is gradual, by regions and by age groups, with the less at-risk first (younger folks, low incidence provinces like say Brittany).

It's a commendable exercise for sure, but it also suggests that there won't be a return to normal activity for a long while: public health restrictions will remain in force in some places and for some people, travel will be curtailed etc

They're not saying when either, so there's that.

Interestingly, as long as there's no vaccine, the only way to contain contagion bat a low level is through the public health restrictions regime. Testing and tracing like in Korea might allow for more relaxed measures, but logistics are daunting while dealing with the emergency.

It's going to be stop and go until there's a vaccine and until it's made widely available. Antiviral treatments may be found to cure the disease, but they don't help with herd immunity (or marginally).

I would not be surprised if this lasts another two years, with on and off regional/city confinement orders. It may sound long and excruciating, but it's the blink of an eye when civilization is at stakes.

I guess/hope that what we deem impossible today will be a relief in two years: global coordination and economic planning in particular. There's very little point containing the virus in only one place or one country.