The key to this is better testing and positive interventions. Right now we are just flattening the curve, but there are a couple things that could help speed u

The key to this is better testing and positive interventions. Right now we are just flattening the curve, but there are a couple things that could help speed up a return to normal life long before a vaccine: 1) Widespread, accurate testing: For example, if we could test everyone in a few minutes before they enter a workplace or home that could go a long way to enabling many activities to restart. 2) Improvements to treatment: If some relatively safe malaria drug or other intervention can reduce the severity of the disease such that treatment requires days instead of weeks and/or doesn't require ventilators/ICU this would be a huge boon. Less people would die, most importantly, but also the healthcare system would be able to handle many more cases, further reducing the need for extreme social disruption like we are doing now. I'm personally optimistic that at least some material progress will be made on both fronts in the near future. A planet full of very smart people is working on this.