I agree, they should've. And Trump did, which the opposition denouncd as "racist".

Trump needed to do much more than just worry about being called "racist". He was still President, with an expectation that American lives should matter first.

I doubt it. Viruses usually tend to become less lethal. New variants have not become extremely lethal yet.

India has variants going around right now. Coincidently, the same time they did lift restrictions prematurely and ruined their nation.

It's an unnecessary burden to put people at risk when it should be eliminated entirely now that the technology is here. Hospitals, Long Term Homes, Schools, Food Factories, Public Transit are all considered essential and yet any outbreak or disease transmission puts everyone in danger in those buildings. If someone wants to enter those facilities but aren't vaccinated, they just do not belong there at all.

The same can later be said about Concerts, Movie Theatres, Grocery Stores and other places that have huge social gatherings but can transform into a petri dish quickly. No risk is better than any.