Absolutely correct. What you're describing is setting a course of action for the greatest common good and taking responsibility for the outcome.Those who make the decision are weighing the rights of some number of the uninfected to their right to life and the pursuit of happiness against the rights of others to liberty of some sort. It seems to me the right to health, not dying, has always exceeded most other rights.
However, in some places, this has turned into a partisan political issue and no side trusts any other to have the common good at heart. There are also political leaders who are incapable of expressing sympathy or taking personal responsibility for anything. Dr Fauci set an excellent example in his interview, where he said, more or less "I did the best I could in the circumstances. In hindsight, could I have done better? Probably, but who can't say that after the fact".
Even if the most perfect plan is brought forth, from anyone, at least half the population will see it as favouring the other half and will relentlessly howl it down. They simply don't trust that leaders have the greatest common good as their guiding principle. It's even worse when those leaders will not take responsibility for their actions, because it means they believe there will be no consequence of favouring their supporters and so are not motivated to act in good faith for the majority.