Instead of THE GUBBMINT being evil by LOCKING EVERYTHING DOWN in some scary QUARANTINE ZONE or the like, imagine a "got to build up zombie bite immunity" response, or one with pseudoscientific treatments, or pretty much anything so can feel like things are back to normal while zombies are just a thing that continues happening.
Add your own ideas if you like.
Using my boomer brain I can kind of see this being viewed as an allegory for the treatment of vietnam vets in the US![grillman grillman](https://www.hexbear.net/pictrs/image/b674f45a-ed3b-4a2b-995b-189c052d6d7f.png)