The only real way to have not "given up" with such an infectious disease that is contagious without being symptomatic would to have been to go the China route o

The only real way to have not "given up" with such an infectious disease that is contagious without being symptomatic would to have been to go the China route of hard lockdowns + privacy crushing contact tracing and enforced curfews. Which, of course, practically no one would support unless the disease were far more deadly to people without comorbidities. And even then you'd have to consider the serious long-term health affects that a multi-year hard lockdown would have on people.