I think once the weather warms up and people start getting crankier, all these regulations will go out the window when people start doing what they want.
That's not how regulations work. They don't just concede to whatever people feel like doing.
That's not how they're supposed to work, but the reality is, once people get tired of regulations (ANY regulations), or feel they're pointless/inconvenient, whatever, they will ignore them. All you have to do is look at the number of people who ignore traffic laws, and let's face it, there's a far greater chance of getting killed on the highway then dying from Covid-19. Once the novelty of the current situation has worn off, I agree with Jeff, they will go out the window; not because they've been repealed, but because people will ignore them.
It's not that simple, though. Regulations don't just go away simply because people ignore them. It depends on the effect of ignoring the regulations. If nothing major happens, then sure, the state might be lenient in enforcing the rules.
But if easing the enforcement leads to a cluster outbreak? One that overwhelms the hospitals or significantly affects a major industry in the area? Yes, there is going to be enforcement.
This is not the same as traffic laws. There are a lot of traffic deaths, but they don't all happen in such high numbers in a concentrated area and short period of time. They don't overwhelm medical staff every day for months. They don't infect people who were just rubbernecking past the accident. And yes, traffic laws are still enforced, but of course people still break the laws and often get away with it, but the state does not say, "Oh well, people want to speed, so we might as well get rid of the laws." The laws stand and are enforced - unevenly and depending on manpower, but enforced nonetheless.
So no, I don't think the state is now going to say, "Oh well, people don't want to stay in, so we'll just get rid of regulations."
This isn't a one-and-done. There are going to be waves, both of infections and in the easing and then reinstating of regulations. I think it's simplistic to assume that regulations are all just going to go away when people get tired of them.
Edit: And Jeff, I'm the same - other than working at home instead of campus, my life hasn't changed much either, so it's no skin of my ass, really. I'll be staying home because I don't like to be around people as a general rule anyway, and the pandemic hasn't changed any of that. In fact, it makes me want to stay away even more - not even because of the virus but because people are just so obnoxious right now.
