Let's keep in mind that in 2020 even the Trump administration (via Ben Carson) was saying 98% survival. Partly that's because hospitals had absolutely no treatments and were still throwing shit against the wall to see what would even prolong life. There were also enough shortages of room and oxygen and such that these led to fatalities beyond what was directly caused by COVID. That's the whole "flatten the curve" bit.

2% sounds small, but that's about the same mortality rate as the 1918 influenza. 35 states also have under 2% of the US population, so a full-blown situation giving it to everybody would wipe out the equivalent of Massachusetts.