It really is important to remember things like this when we mildly anthropomorphize viral behavior and other biological phenomena that behave like epidemics.

There's a caveat to your broader philosophical point, though, even if it doesn't affect our current discussion: big-brained mammals (including some non-primates) live well beyond childrearing age and most biologists and anthropologists that study this have identified strong evolutionary advantages, FOR THOSE SPECIES, in having "useless eaters" stay around long after replicating genes to protect and support children and grandchildren (among other useful purposes to the broader community):

This is just one example (in an admittedly nonscientific platform): https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/10/asia/killer-whales-grandparents-babies-survival-intl-hnk-scli/index.html (other sources besides CNN reported on the study if you'd prefer not to give them clicks)

But yes, in terms of how animals interact with other animals that make them sick or kill them, the gold standard is simply reaching the age of reproduction. The organism doesn't need quality of life or long life for its death to not endanger the species.

Humans facing a Marek's-style inversion of COVID evolution won't have that luxury. Our lifespans, length of pregnancy, and length of childrearing are incompatible with a purely ruthlessly-efficient killer. It would be mass extinction.